Go West

We are beyond thrilled to share our expansion to Big Sky, Montana. Trovester Kate, known for her passion for Montana, opened our latest outpost on June 30th, with two local partners, Hannah Johansen and Katie Craig. 

Trovesters Kate Tomkinson & Melani Wilson, with their supportive husbands in tow, worked hard (with some fun breaks in between) to get The Trove West ready for the Grand Opening.

The view of Lone Peak from the back door of The Trove West. Not too shabby!

The store is just lovely and full of indie goodies and gifts from all over these beautiful United States, including merch from both Montana and Indiana makers. If you're ever in the area, be sure to stop by to say hello!

Indiana State Pride

Hoosiers are we --- and proud to be! We adore #thenoke and #DTFW. We're passionate about Northeast Indiana and the whole d@mn state. We know the Midwest is a gem and has lots to offer. AND, we're happy to scream it from the rooftops whenever we get the chance. 

We Trovesters travel - a lot. We love seeing foreign lands, experiencing other cultures, learning new traditions and that's not likely to change. We're all explorers at heart. Perhaps the coming Fourth of July weekend has us feeling patriotic. We know America is a diverse and beautiful country with amazing assets in every state, within every region, on every coast. But we're always happy to return home at the end of any journey, because our Indiana lives are just as rich with family, great friends and the diverse beauty of our home state.

We have so much Indiana pride running through our veins and tons of Midwestern goodness in store. Come shop The Trove and show your love for the crossroads of America. 

Sister Act

“Sisters are different flowers from the same garden.”
— Unknown

 

The Trove was born out of friendship and a mutual passion for creating and sharing beautiful things. We have a deep love for our little slice of Roanoke and the town's oh-so-charming Main Street. We wax poetically about our enchanting barn and live for the Summer Friday night street fairs that bring hundreds of people to #thenoke. If you'd like to read more on our fondness for Roanoke, check out our Love Letter to Roanoke from September 2015.

All good things must grow and thus our latest development came after a few meetings with another friend, Libby Ash. We are simply overjoyed about the opening of our sister store, The FIND, located within the sparkling Ash Skyline Plaza. We're honored to be among the burgeoning lifestyle scene of the great city of Fort Wayne and are excited to see what else is in store for its continued growth. To read more about The FIND's origin story, take a peek at its brand spanking new website.

Photo by Grace Yencer.

Finally, we are absolutely tickled about our Western expansion with The Trove West in Big Sky, Montana! We're over the moon for Trovester Kate and her plans to supply her beloved Big Sky with the chicest goods around. 

Please join us at The FIND for our Grand Opening on June 1st! And, once we know the opening date for our new digs in Big Sky, we'll let you know so you can make travel arrangements. We just know you won't want to miss a thing!

 

Word to Your Mother

With Mother's Day on the brain, we Trovesters recently enjoyed a lively email thread where we shared some of the wisdom we've gained as well as a few funny stories we've collected along the way. Motherhood is no joke but thankfully, there's much comic relief for those of us who are lucky enough to know the highs and lows of parenting. 

Here's a little glimpse into the convo from our most recent emails...

“Some of our all-time favorite parental sayings are quotes from movies. Our kids are just now catching on:
* Be the ball.
* You can do it or you can do it with dignity.
* Are you for goodness or for badness?
* I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”
“Vitamin D and Saline Spray cure most things.”
“Use the “real” words with your kids.

Example: I’m pregnant with my son, taking my 5 year old to her pediatrician appointment.
Doctor: So your mommy has a baby in her tummy. Her reply, said with great contempt: The baby is in her uterus!

I was so proud.”

And then there's this gem, taken from the daughter of a Trovester:

“An important skill that my mom taught me early on was the ability to laugh at myself. The world is a lighter place if you can joke (and take a joke) with the people you meet along the way. Of course my mom always led by example. She embarrassed herself on a monthly basis- whether it was having a thong fall out from her pant leg in the airport security line or accidentally flashing the guests at a Halloween party when her costume malfunctioned. In these moments however, my mom hardly even blushed, but rather absorbed these situations so that she could later share them with her friends and family over a glass of wine. No wonder she has always been popular.”

 

 

 

Jean Therapy

Our quest for great jeans has been lifelong. Yes, we all know the struggle is real. But in denim brand beija-flor (pronounced beige-ah-floor), we've found some of the softest, most flattering denim around. 

A mother-daughter duo founded the brand, inspired by figure-flattering styles seen on stylish ladies while living in Brazil. The team at beija-flor creates luxuriously lightweight denim that works with a woman's curves. The jeans come in universally flattering cuts with strategic stitching, illusion washes and perfectly placed pockets for those oh-so sought after slimming effects. Who wouldn't love THAT??

The entire line features wrinkle-free and breathable fabrics that keep you cool throughout the day that are also water-resistant, to boot! Each pair features "bounce-back memory stretch" which helps battle the dreaded gapping at the waist. 

Our selection of beija-flor jeans will be gracing some of the models at the Spring Fling fashion show and luncheon on Thursday, March 10th. Get more details about this fantastic event here. 

Come try on your perfect pair at our beija-flor trunk show at The Trove on March 10th & 11th and we'll give you a free gift! Purchase a pair and you get another free gift! We'll even be open at 9:30am on Friday, March 11th for those of you with school drop off/pick up schedules to consider.

While in Roanoke, stop by The North End on March 10th from 1-3pm & March 11th from 10-2pm for their Blanc Noir and Vignorella trunk shows. It's an absolute fashion frenzy in #thenoke this month!

Q & A with Julie Toles from Hedgehog Press

We're tickled about our upcoming barn workshops with Hedgehog Press. Julie Toles is a talented, driven, generous and kind artisan, who creates lovely goodies on her antique presses like greeting cards, cork coasters and leather tags for liquor decanters (all of which are available for purchase at The Trove). We asked Julie to share a little bit about her business, in advance of the workshops, so we could all get to know her a little better.

 

How did you come up with the name Hedgehog Press?

Hedgehogs represent optimism, feminine empowerment, and creative expression! It just fit! Also, I love that hedgehog's are generally considered a pest in places they are native to. They are very difficult to remove from a garden or backyard. I think I liked the idea that I would be difficult to remove...I'm here to stay!

What was your motivation for starting a boutique printing company?

My main motivation was to have a place to create my work. I am a printmaker which requires a lot of specialized equipment and space. Starting my own business came very naturally to me. My whole family is centered around entrepreneurship! We all have our own businesses and I have always grown up around family-run enterprises. I knew I had to figure out a way to sustain a space and not just rely on my artwork sales, then the printshop as it is now was born! And I absolutely love it!

What's your most favorite project to date?

It is so hard to have a favorite project! Everything is so different and specialized. I recently painted on a bass drum for a local jazz band, sculpted 11 elephants out of floral foam for a wedding, and was included in a styled wedding photoshoot that was picked up by The Knot! So many fun aspects about what I get to do everyday!

How do you stay creative?

I try to live a completely creative lifestyle meaning everything I do revolves around my creation process. I love being out in nature and try to go hiking at least one a week! That always gets me energized and helps me feel inspired! I also have a wonderful group of creative friends that keep me on my toes. Sketching and making things for no particular reason also helps me relax and hone in on what I'm doing. 

Whose art do you most admire?

I have always loved Robert Rauschenberg's work. His style and compositional skills are just amazing to me. I love his use of color and the voice he chooses to represent in his work is very compelling. I also love Francisco Goya. I felt as though I had a religious experience while viewing his work in Spain in 2009 and since then have been an admirer. He created prints for a reason, for communication, a way to showcase injustices...I have always felt a strong responsibility to printmaking as an art form for these reasons. 

What's next for Hedgehog Press?

With recent sales to larger retailers, I am looking to expand soon. I have some exciting ideas in the works and hope to see them come alive in 2016! I am sort of keeping the plans low key for now until I know they are able to happen.

We know you collect hedgehog figurines, etc and that people often give hedgehog paraphernalia to you. How many hedgehog tchotchkes do you own by now? 

Oh my goodness! People are so sweet and find me the cutest hedgehog themed items. I recently had an elementary school group visiting and had them count the hedgehogs around the room while they each waited their turn on the printing press. I think we lost track somewhere after 62!

Sign up for these fantastic February Workshops with Hedgehog Press @ The Trove!

To Market, To Market

We Trovesters go to great lengths to bring the freshest goodies to our corner of Northeast Indiana. We search high and low during  our personal travels and a few times a year, we assemble at the best wholesale markets to divide and conquer. We find not only fantastic pieces we just know  you'll love but also make new friends, strengthen our team bonds and consume more than our fair share of vino after long days on our feet. We love (almost) every single second. Take a peek at our latest expedition to the famed AmericasMart Atlanta. This massive wholesale market features an exhilarating yet exhausting seven million square feet. Yes, SEVEN MILLION! Our FitBit bands didn't know what hit 'em...

Trovesters REPRESENT! Just for the record, that's iced coffee in Melani's cup, not wine as you might have first suspected.

The labyrinth of hell...AKA Building 3 (of 4 total buildings). New tees, books, jewelry, linens and furniture found! 

Look for these stunning candle lanterns at The Trove, arriving soon!

Leslie, with one of our fab sales reps, placing a jewelry order.

Can't wait to add this new line to our jewelry department.

Placed a BIG order for these retro style Newgate clocks.

Love love love these cutie canvas totes.

We always have fun in the Ben's Garden booth.

Not so bad to be indoors on a dreary, foggy day.

These pretty throws and pillows have us dreaming of Spring!

Not everything's a winner. You won't be finding this one at The Trove...

And another item we won’t be bringing back.

Wine vs. Food --- there's a clear favorite.

New Bed Stu!

You're going to fall in love with new Barefoot Dreams for littles.

Kitchen islands, awesome tables and  accent pieces - Leslie was clearly having a blast at this booth.

It's imperative to practice restorative yoga poses throughout the day.

Whew! We're exhausted all over again.

Stay tuned for the impending arrivals of our many new finds!

Personalized Presents

There are few gifts as thoughtful as those that are personalized. Giving such an item means you've put effort and time into the gift, which is sometimes more treasured by the recipient than the item itself. We're beyond happy to have partnered with local small biz, A + D Monogram Design, to bring you fun, modern ways to customize everyday items, elevating them into stylish, coveted pieces. 

A + D Monogram Designs offers chic, clear acrylic keychains, business card holders and pencil cups for you to emblazon. Or, adorn your car door, laptop, phones and tablets or S'well bottles. With a multitude of color options and monogram styles, printed on premium adhesive nylon, the only thing holding you back is your imagination.

There's still time left to line up some personalized presents for your stylish loved ones. Stop by The Trove ASAP to get your custom monograms then just pretend you did it ages ago...

We're open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 - 5pm and Thursday from 11 - 3pm. See you soon!

Gifts for Everyone

We Trovesters search far and wide for the best gifts around -- and we have tons of fun doing it! Because we travel extensively and always keep our eyes peeled, you'll always find a varied array of unique inventory. Forget the big box stores and generic gift cards. Come shop The Trove for everyone on your list. Need some ideas? We've got you covered. 

For those on the go.

For the classicist.

For the traveler.

For the stylish do-gooder.

For the gourmand.

For little readers.

For the aficionado. 

For the fashionably funky.

For the ones who like to make their mark.

For those who like to snuggle up.

For the well groomed guy.

For the glamour girl.

For the green beauty junkie.

 

See you at The Trove!

Deck the Halls

At The Trove, we LIVE for the festive holidays of Winter. There's nothing that warms the home quite like the scent of fresh evergreens, twinkle lights, shimmering ornaments and special tableware. Because we're so passionate about these wonderful things, we make sure to stock the store with all kinds of holiday goodies. From luxurious candles to cozy plaid blankets, swing by the shop and feather your nest for the holidays and the long Winter stretching before us...