February 8, 2025

mvnavidr

Comfortable residential structure

At house once more, Alexander-Persse opens The French Nest in downtown Salisbury – Salisbury Post

At house once more, Alexander-Persse opens The French Nest in downtown Salisbury – Salisbury Post

At house once more, Alexander-Persse opens The French Nest in downtown Salisbury – Salisbury Post

SALISBURY — Seated at a vintage eating desk, surrounded by lamps, bookcases and decorations, Wendy Alexander-Persse is at residence in her new shop in downtown Salisbury.

Named The French Nest, the classic decor retailer is positioned at 119 S. Principal St. and features every thing from furniture to handmade candles and linen aprons.

In addition to staying crammed with objects Alexander-Persse handpicked herself — and she only picks points likes — the keep is comfy to her due to the fact it is wherever she introduced her initial foray into Salisbury commerce 11 years back.

“I like this space and how ideal to be again where by I started in 2010,” Alexander-Persse claimed. “I looked at a pair other spots, but this block is my beloved.”

Called Grayshores Buying and selling, the retail store may well have been the very first shop Alexander-Persse opened in Salisbury, but she was previously a seasoned small organization owner at the time.

A indigenous of New York, Alexander-Persse moved to Salisbury in 1986 and stayed for about seven several years ahead of transferring down the eastern seaboard to Brunswick, Ga. There, she owned and operated two stores. Right after marketing the second small business, Alexander-Persse labored at a vintage retail outlet in Brunswick, exactly where she discovered various essential tricks of the trade.

“I experienced worked for a girl my final two several years in Brunswick who has the finest retail outlet I have ever been in. I received to work for her for two and a 50 % yrs,” Alexander-Persse stated. “I learned a great deal. She was incredibly generous with her suppliers and sharing data.”

When Alexander-Persse moved back again to Salisbury to escape the relentless southeastern Georgia warmth, she set her business enterprise acumen and expertise of classic items to use and opened Grayshores Investing. She introduced a further undertaking, identified as Zinc, in the vicinity of the teach station a several a long time later on and then acquired the Literary Bookpost in 2016.

She planned to choose a split from currently being a compact business proprietor right after providing the bookstore, which she renamed South Key E-book Business, in 2019. Her target in the course of the past 12 months has predominantly been on getting a father or mother to her toddler daughter, Harriet.

Alexander-Persse’s spouse, Lauren, claimed the earlier calendar year has been a whirlwind, but that she’s enthusiastic to help Alexander-Persse’s most latest shop.

Laruen Alexander-Persse and Wendy Alexander-Persse stand with their daughter, Harriet, in The French Nest. Ben Stansell/Salisbury Post

Alexander-Persse did take care of to remain out of business, but only for so very long. The attract of connecting with consumers after yet again proved far too strong.

“After I bought the bookstore, I definitely missed the shoppers,” Alexander-Persse mentioned.

What sealed her conclusion to reenter downtown commerce was an impromptu go to to the vacant storefront at 119 S. Principal St. in November. Even while she wasn’t all set to start a business enterprise at the time, viewing the renovated room acquired the wheels turning in her head. She commenced accumulating vintage items and signed a lease in January.

“I truly variety of started out a enterprise ahead of I even signed the lease,” Alexander-Persse explained.

The French Nest title was coined by Lauren and is a nod to Alexander-Persse’s affinity for Paris and European-encouraged decor.

Alexander-Persse’s professional return to downtown has been nicely acquired, she reported. Most of the faces she’s observed have been familiar, particularly all those who have visited The French Nest on weekdays. She’s even had shoppers wander in, not being aware of it’s her store, and exclaim how related it feels and seems to be to Grayshores Investing.

Running on the 100 block of South Main Avenue at the time all over again, Alexander-Persse is operating alongside longtime mates. 

“I enjoy the group down here,” Alexander-Persse stated. “Cheryl (Goins) at Pottery 101 and Bob (Lambrecht) at Critters are some of my greatest friends. I just enjoy it. I couldn’t consider currently being out away from downtown and on my personal somewhere.”

Wendy Alexander-Persse picks virtually all of the vintage parts in The French Nest herself, only deciding upon things she’d have in her individual dwelling. Ben Stansell/Salisbury Put up

Along with furnishings and decor Alexander-Persse procured from her dependable pickers and sellers, The French Nest capabilities solutions created locally by her mates, which include soap crafted by Teri Fox and linen aprons created by Cindy Morgan.

“I was ready to phone a several pals that I realized experienced specific abilities and say ‘Can you build this for the shop?’” Alexander-Persse claimed.

The refined, nonetheless hanging mural on just one of the store’s walls was painted by another buddy, Cara Reische, who also designed the shop’s logo.

The store’s candles, Alexander-Persse claimed, have been traveling off the shelf. So as well have several of the shop’s other choices. 

“I’ve had to make 3 procuring trips now, so that’s fantastic,” Alexander-Persse reported.

Alexander-Persse is not wanting to get rich off of her hottest endeavor. She gave up that quest lengthy back.

“In my 20s I felt panicked to make funds, make ‘my mark’ in a big way,” Alexander-Persse stated. “Then I arrived to understand it is seriously about making your corner of the world wonderful, make it do the job for your self and present some kindness to the rest of the world.”

The French Nest is open up Tuesday by way of Friday from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.