Honeymouth accessories designer Georgia Vogel celebrated the grand opening of her new store in the Old City recently. Vogel handcrafts keychains, change purses, wallets and purses with meaningful phrases or words stamped on them for a touch of whimsy and empowerment.
“I was supposed to open last December,” said Vogel, while making last-minute preparations on Aug. 27. “Then the pandemic happened. I knew how to sew and had a bunch of fabric, so I started making masks in April – I donated 1,000 masks and probably made 3,000 more. We have scaled back the masks, but we still have some for sale.”
Honeymouth’s freshly painted pink shopfront is nestled between Kaizen and Hen+Hoc Deli & Butcher in the former Crown and Goose building on Central.
“This was always going to be the location,” said Vogel. “It felt like home to me. I worked at the Crown and Goose for 10 years and met my fiancé, Keaton Brown, here. Then it became available, and the owner of Hen+Hoc Deli & Butcher, one of my dearest friends, moved in next door. I’ve had the lease for eight or so months. Thomas Boyd owns it and was extremely kind and said to open when I was ready.”
About six weeks ago, the timing was right, and Vogel’s friends and family pitched in to help. “We redid the floors, painted the walls, built the tables and changed out the wall sconces for pink lights,” she said. “The (overhead) lights and pressed metal ceiling tiles were there. I was going to change the ceiling, but the more time I have spent here the more I have gotten used to them. There are so many things I want to do, but at some point, I just have to stop and open.”
Two interior murals reflect the Honeymouth spirit. “Those women are my heroes,” said Vogel, pointing to her mural painting of author and activist Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama, Stevie Nicks, Frida Kahlo, Maya Angelou and Dolly Parton. “It includes the Stevie Nicks quote, ‘Don’t be a lady, be a legend’ and reminds me to channel my inner rock star on days I’m not feeling it,” she added.
“You’re Like Really Pretty is from the ‘Mean Girls’ movie, and I printed that quote on the first thing I made my sister,” said Vogel, of the quote on the facing wall.
The original concept for the 1,600-square-foot space was a combined boutique and workshop space. “We have had to scale that back, but we have the table space to host events if and when we can,” she said.
“People could learn how to make a wallet, and our neighbors, Kaizen and Hen+Hoc, will offer boxed meals that can be paired with beer and wine. It can be hired for private events such as dinners and brunch, and we built long tables to seat up to 30 people.”
Vogel and ACF Jewelry designer Caroline Farris have been friends since middle school and will share the retail space. Honeymouth also has a range of the locally made “Ful” candles and Jade Adams’ Oglewood Avenue plants.
In March, Vogel launched fashion label Glad Rags, which she sells online and instore. Half the range is T-shirts, bandannas and hats made from recycled plastic bottles and organic cottons. The other half is reimagined vintage clothes that have been taken apart and/or embroidered to create something new.
“We are expanding; I have been a one-gal show for some time and it has been hard to keep up with the demand,” she said. “I now have my first employee to make leather goods.” Vogel also plans to wholesale Honeymouth to shops in other states.
Vogel is also launching Honeymouth Home including coasters, leather hanging planters, napkin rings and dish towels.
If that does not sound busy enough, Vogel is an art teacher at South-Doyle Middle School as well. “I was going to quit, but it left such a void for me, I couldn’t let it go,” she said.
Honeymouth will be open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and noon-6 p.m. on weekends .Customers can shop online at https://www.shophoneymouth.com and on Instagram @shophoneymouth.
“We have a pickup in store option, and since everything we carry here is online, we can offer no-contact purchasing,” said Vogel.
More Stories
Lenovo’s new ThinkBook has modular accessories that add LTE, a webcam light, and more
Formlabs’ new automation accessories turn its 3D printers into mini factories
Subtle But Impactful Accessories for More Refined Style in 2023