East Meets Midwest
By Mitch Hurst
By Mitch Hurst
Amanda Horan has a baby on the way but her first was born in June.
Technically, she’s pregnant with her firstborn, but she and her husband, Collin, birthed their dream when they opened their Shaker Siding boutique in Glen Ellyn earlier this summer.
Shaker Siding sells home accessories and specialty gifts inspired by the couple’s love of coastal architecture in the Northeast, and houses that feature the iconic shingle-style shaker siding.
“Classic New England style and flair with a Midwest hug,” is how Horan describes the product lines they offer, and that perfectly captures the couple themselves. Amanda grew up in Upstate New York and Collin in Davenport, Iowa.
“Though we both have corporate backgrounds, I grew up working in retail and loved being with people,” Horan says. “My husband’s family owned a clothing store in Iowa so this has been a passion of ours for a long time.”
Horan thinks back to when the couple first started traveling and the fact they could only find home accessories that fit their tastes if they left the Midwest. It was either that, or shop online.
“We were not seeing ourselves reflected in the Midwest market,” she says.
Though their idea to make home accessories inspired by the Eastern Seaboard had been in place for a while, the path to opening the new boutique was serendipitous.
“Originally we were going to do an e-commerce site but one day my husband took a different route to the train and saw a ‘for rent’ sign,” Horan says. “We signed the lease and completely built out the space, including a fireplace that anchors the store.”
Not surprisingly, the store’s aesthetic is inspired by its owners’ love of homes nested on the beaches of the East Coast.
“Every time a customer comes in they get a feeling they’re in a different place,” says Horan. “We wanted to make the store like a real home.”
Horan is meticulous about the product lines she carries in the store, and strives to carry items that can’t be found elsewhere in the Midwest region.
“Everything we buy I personally pick out and think about if it’s something I would give as a gift or would want in my own home,” she says. “I love the personal touch that something has been handpicked.”
Products have what Horan calls a “bright preppy” feel, with different colors and schemes but overall a cohesive vibe. Products include housewares, hostess gifts, and bar ware such as martini glasses, vases, and picture frames.
“I strive to put out upscale type of gifts, something that has a little extra,” Horan says. “We wrap it in a bag with a big bow.”
Most of her product lines are based in south or east coasts. Designers that are based in those locations bring a genuine aesthetic, and local lines evoke the Shaker Siding look and feel.
“We carry unique accessories to make your home look better,” Horan says. “I keep quantities low. I don’t want seven other people bringing the same gift to the party. I want it to be thoughtful.”
Shaker Siding is located at located at 492 Crescent Boulevard in Glen Ellyn, 630-793-5009, shakersiding.com.
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