ciel loft & home, photo by tj turner
When it opened in 2013, D.NOLO introduced a new retail concept to the Twin Cities: the cooperative boutique. Borrowing from a trend that has enjoyed success on the coasts, the shop—short for Destination North Loop—has an open, ever-evolving floor plan that includes merchandise from various vendors. The one-stop shop has gradually expanded to include eight retailers spanning women’s clothing and accessories, eyewear, and, beginning this summer, home furnishings.
St. Louis Park–based Ciel Loft & Home carries a mix of antique Chinese furniture and decor, reclaimed wood furniture, and acid-washed metal artwork created by the store’s co-owner Andy Higgins. Higgins and his business partner, Chad Newman, met while living in China where they frequented Beijing’s markets and fell in love with the country’s rich cultural heritage. Their industrial-meets-antique selection at D.NOLO includes decorative metal orbs, ceramic dishware, Turkish pots, reclaimed steel letters, hammered flatware, and silk velvet pillows.
Joining Ciel at D.NOLO is Witt + Bliss, the first retail effort from the celebrated Minneapolis interior designer Martha Dayton. With a moniker derived from the middles names of Dayton and her longtime design partner Kelly Perry, it focuses on gifts and home accessories from smaller, unique vendors—think throw pillows with colorful patterns, scented candles in beautiful packaging, and cotton-linen throws, plus a few small furniture items and pre-wrapped gifts.
“You can stop in before running to a dinner and your hostess gift is wrapped and ready to go,” says Dayton.
219 N. Second St., Mpls.
612-584-3244, dnolo.com
witt + bliss, photo by tj turner
