“It’s all about having the right product and keeping it fresh”, says John Adams of Article in Dublin. And he should know. With a 20 year retail career behind him - including being operations manager of Habitat in Ireland, until it closed in 2008, and before that working for David Mellor in London - he had all the right experience to set up his shop in 2010.
Despite opening in a recession his decision to be in the centre of the city has paid off with around 30% of passing trade being tourists. The shop is located an elegant Georgian townhouse which was once home to a Viscount, and is now a (considerably nicer than your average) shopping centre with lots of independent traders. “It’s a nice adaptation of a historic building”, he says of the Powerscourt Centre which has retained the generous proportions of the era and original features such as a beautiful rococo ceiling (see below) which dates from 1780. Article sells lovely things for your home which while not always cheap are good value for what they are.
Who are you? John Adams owner of Article
Where can we find you? Inside an 18th Century townhouse in Dublin - Powerscourt Townhouse, South William St, Dublin 2; www.articledublin.com
Describe your store in five words: welcoming, inspiring, colourful, useful, edited.
What makes you different? It's a personal collection that changes regularly, I don't try to have something for all tastes, I focus on what will work in a home together.
How you decide what makes the cut? I ask myself would I have it in my house and is it worth the money.
What were you doing before you did this? I've spent 20 years in homewares retail, across a range of functions.
If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? Go bigger from the start!
What are you most proud of? Taking the risk to invest my savings to launch a business in Ireland after the economic crash and growing a loyal customer base and business.
Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? Contemporary Irish linen napkins embroidered by Jennifer Slattery.
What's hot for 2013? I think copper items will continue to be a trend through to autumn/winter.
Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.
