Meet Kristy Cotter, this week's guest editor of our special Valentine's issue (with perks)! Kristy is the owner and founder of DEAR NEIGHBOR, a specialty women’s boutique in Church Hill. After attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, Kristy moved to the River City to pursue a Master's degree in art education at VCU. While teaching, she started a jewelry company that reignited her interest in the fashion industry, leading to the creation of DEAR NEIGHBOR! Over the years, her shop has evolved and today it's focused on apparel, lingerie, and fine jewelry among other exciting goods! You can usually find Kristy playing dress up in the shop or hanging out with her four-year-old son Rune. But today, she's putting on the editor hat for Here Weekly to deliver three tips for your Valentine's weekend ahead!
Take it away, Kristy ...
Homme Pop Up
Let's start with the boys at Homme Essentials – because they're hosting a Valentine's Day pop up and cocktails TODAY from 5 pm to 8 pm! Homme specializes in menswear staples and it's where I buy ALL of my husband's clothes. The dudes are cool and have some of the best men's brands (period), making it a go-to spot to shop in Richmond for sure. They’re right next to Stella’s and Stella’s Market on Lafayette St., so it's also a destination where you can order yourself a stiff drink after doing a little retail therapy! We're joining Homme Essentials for their pop up tonight, so swing by to say hello. Not only can you knock out your shopping, but there will be drinks from Richmond based Cirrus Vodka and delicious Filipino dishes by ATO Sisig & Grill. A million reasons to come out tonight!
Ready for the ultimate local Valentine's giveaway?! Of course you are! Well, that’s good because we’ve teamed up with some AMAZING local shops, restaurants, and businesses to offer OVER $1600 in prizes for one lucky Richmonder! Prizes include $200.00 gift cards to Elsie Frieda, Roan, Palette Home, Na Nin, Lolita's, Montante Aesthetics, and Dear Neighbor. Also, included is one month of unlimited classes at The Bar Method RVA. Do yourself a favor and take a moment to meet each of these local businesses that are soon to become a favorite destination regardless of who wins this ultimate giveaway. We plan to announce the big winner on February 14th via our Instagram stories and DM so head over to @shopdearneighbor for a crack at this sweet giveaway. Here Weekly readers can also find details about our giveaway at each of the participating businesses.
OBVI. This is a VDAY FEATURE, I’d be crazy not to highlight DEAR NEIGHBOR. We’re a sweet little shop in Church Hill, created in my backyard in 2016. We’re right next to Sub Rosa Bakery, across the street from North End Juice Co. (Church Hill) and up the block from Union Market. To say the least, we’re not the only reason to visit Church Hill, but we think so! We specialize in gifts for yourself and your sweetie for Valentine's Day. As a local boutique, we focus on anything that makes a woman feel good. We carry everything from lingerie to activewear, and pretty much everything in between. Swing by this weekend to introduce yourself and drop in at the last minute on Monday for your Valentine's Day needs!
You didn't think we'd end this Valentine's Day issue without flowers, did you? Check out Old Time Feeling by Kelsey Sykes, a local botanic artist and gardener. Her modernist foraged style translates the natural world into momentary works of art. Poet Pamela Johnson Parker perhaps said it best, “An intersection of the pastoral and high art, Sykes’ work is thoughtfully unstudied.” Pre-order your Valentine’s flowers for pick-up at Dear Neighbor on Sunday, February 13th, or at Rosewood Clothing Company's new location at Spacebomb Studios on Monday, February, 14th.
