Come October, instinct kicks in and we want to decorate every nick and cranny of our home. Making our humble abodes cozy and stylish, the holidays are all about celebrating the great indoors. We bring out our candles, our perfectly-picked pumpkins for our mantles and we sit back to celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving and soon enough Christmas. Tis’ the season to slow life down a little and make time for baking, crafting and overall just enjoying.
Walking through Carnegie, I caught a glimpse of a new home decor shop that offers a little more. With a shopping obsession and a natural love for all things interior, I was excited to find Shoppe Along the Way. Treasures such as soy candles, chalkboard art, holiday wreaths and jewelry fill the shop and ring in the cozy fall feels. Also featuring up-cycled re-purposed furniture and unique pieces, Carnegie’s hidden gem is definitely one to see.
Ready for the best part? Schedule your next girl’s night ASAP because Shoppe Along the Way offers public and private workshops teaching you to create your own project. This week, we’re chatting with the biz and gearing up for a fun fall season full of home decor and crafts galore.
Q: Tell us a bit about Shoppe Along The Way? When did you start? What makes the business unique?
A: I started The Shoppe Along the Way in 2016. At that time, I was a project manager in the oil and gas field; but I was looking for a way to transition back into design and I had always wanted to open a store selling my furniture and decor. One day I drove past the old railroad station in Burgettstown, PA and noticed a ‘for rent’ sign in the window. I opened my first location there, offering home accents, furniture, and gifts crafted by local artisans. Soon I added a cafe and DIY classes to share my artistic process with others. The Shoppe moved to 31 E Main St in Carnegie, PA in August of 2018, bringing along my 100% local philosophy and expanding the DIY workshop space. If you’re looking for special, handmade, or customized pieces to give as gifts or to fill your own home, stop by and see us or join one of our workshops and learn to make it yourself!
Q: Who is your typical clientele?
A: Anyone interested in learning something new. I decided to offer workshops because one of the most common phrases I hear from ladies–both my generation and my daughters’–is, “I can’t do that, I’m so not crafty.” You can! And if you want to learn, I’m here to teach you. We do adult projects (BYOB). We have kids’ birthday parties. We had an 84-year-old lady here last month using power tools.
Q: What would you say your typical workshop entails?
A: We offer workshops including wreath design, macrame, and chalk-painting furniture, but the most popular class is definitely sign-making. We provide all of the pieces to construct a wooden sign and bring you through the process step-by-step, from putting it together with the nail gun through staining and painting. Our method is crafted so that everyone leaves with an individualized design that we promise will look the way you want it to!
Q: Tell us about what’s in Shoppe? What kind of products do you carry?
A: The Shoppe caters to a traditional-made-modern aesthetic. My own taste is eclectic with traditional bones: I love refinishing an old buffet with a bold color, or building a welcome sign out of reclaimed barnwood. That reflects in the products I sell. In addition to my furniture pieces and signage, we’ve got home accents from ceramics and tea towels to Soyil candles, pillows, wreaths, jewelry, even hummingbird houses and a series of books set in Southwestern PA.
Q: Do you have any advice for working women?
A: Sometimes doubt has to be part of the process, so don’t be so hard on yourself. Don’t be your worst judge.
Q: What’s a favorite that inspires you in business?
A: I have quotes posted everywhere. My favorite is: “By doing what you love you inspire and awaken the hearts of others” by Satsuki Shibuya.
Schedule your next workshop or just head over to Carnegie for some seasonal shopping!
