Spring 2024 Shopping News: Unique Home Decor in Midtown Village, Chic Gifts in Mount Airy, and Style in the Suburbs

A wallcovering by Mothpaper / Photograph by Gieves Anderson; styled by Martin Bourne; designed by Emily Del Bello Interiors

Looking for some chic home decor or a thoughtful gift for someone special in your life? Or maybe it’s apparel or accessories you’re after. Whatever is on your stylish list, we (likely) have it here for you. Check out our spring 2024 Philly shopping news below for some fresh finds.

Wall Flowers

This bedroom’s tranquil ambience comes courtesy of wallcoverings by Kensington-based Mothpaper. The five-year-old studio brought a client’s childhood dream of having a blue bedroom to life. “We love hearing what’s moving to our clients,” says Kathryn Raines, founder and creative director. “We create in as many different ways as can be counted, including painting, giclée printing, screen-printing and sewing.” Mothpaper has prettied up walls for many local homes and businesses, including boutique hotel the Franklin on Rittenhouse and its upcoming property, 1719 Rittenhouse. Raines and her team source sustainable fabrics and wood-pulp paper for their products, which range from dreamy and evocative to boldly patterned. Want your own wall art? Work with Mothpaper on a custom design, or choose from existing pieces that can be modified per your whims. “That spark of play is essential to everything we do,” says Raines. —K.S.

Statement Pieces

Unique finds from Quail Store / Photograph by Casey Robinson

“Buy once, buy well” was the adage Ashley Olmstead kept top of mind when establishing the retail identity of her new Midtown Village home boutique, Quail Store, which opened in September. Olmstead, who spent more than 20 years working for URBN as a corporate retail merchandiser, decided Philadelphia was ripe for the brick-and-mortar shelter concept she’d dreamed of creating after the pandemic. The jewel-box space features a tightly edited presentation from local clay artists and global makers, many available in Philly for the first time. This spring, feather your nest with such one-of-a-kind finds as this East Otis table, Wonky Ware urn, Copito orb beeswax candle, and a Noguchi art book for a final touch. 1218 Spruce Street, Midtown Village. —K.D.

Gifts With Intention

Photograph by Tosin Ojo

Lori Thomson’s mother would be proud of her daughter’s Mount Airy gift shop, Vera Doyle. The nearly year-old space is named for Mom and grew out of Thomson’s 12 years of experience as a visual­ display artist for retailers like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. (She also handcrafted and sold quilts, pillows and home decor after leaving those corporate gigs.) Vera Doyle is driven by principles­ of inclusion and representation, with decor, jewelry, apparel, books, beauty products and art from predominantly BIPOC- and women-­owned brands. Thomson plans to introduce workshops and events in coming months — one more thing to love. 7118 Germantown Avenue, floor 1, Mount Airy. —S.A. 

Top Coats

Photograph courtesy of American Trench

Some online companies open a brick-and-mortar out of ambition. Others do it out of necessity. American Trench’s fate has been the latter. “We had an overwhelming amount of business and required our own warehousing solution,” says co-owner Jacob Hurwitz, who launched the menswear brand in 2013 with David Neill. Enter their new Ardmore location. In addition to carrying American Trench’s products, the shop specializes in made-in-USA items, like hoodies manufactured in Norristown. Next up: reinventions of the namesake trench, one in waxed cotton and another in Ventile. 15 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore. —S.A.

New Gems

Photograph courtesy of Gorjana

Philly jewelry buffs have another spot to shop for Gorjana’s laid-back beach-chic designs thanks to its second location, at Ardmore’s Suburban Square. (The Laguna Beach, California, brand opened its first local boutique in Rittenhouse in 2022.) The 1,789-square-foot storefront is filled with “blush terrazzo, plush seating, custom artwork and open, natural light,” says co-founder and chief creative officer Gorjana Reidel. Stylists will be on hand to work one-on-one with customers to create layered looks with Gorjana’s bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings — a little of everything that glitters. 29 Parking Plaza, Ardmore. —S.A.

All-In-One Handbags

Bag photographs courtesy of MinkeeBlue

North Philly’s MinkeeBlue will release new functional handbags in June. Here’s a look at the designs that started it all.

MinkeeBlue totes (all in vegan leather) feature a zippered shoe compartment on the bottom.

An insulated lunch bag keeps your food at temperature.

And for all those hard-to-find little items, there’s a matching detachable wristlet, too. —S.A.

Published as “Serenity Now” in the February 2024 issue, and “Rare Bird” and “Market Report” in the March 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.