Lily & Brooklyn, Kentucky

Photo and Interview by Lily and Brooklyn

How did you settle on the name “The Camp”?

I settled on “Camp” so it would have a meaning, kind of a cool name, but at the same time it has a lot of different meanings - because Camp can be, you know, a place to retreat, it could be a creative place, a place where you go and do things or make things, and also meet over the top. I just like all the different connotations of the word and the fact that it's an easy, one syllable that people won't get it mixed up trying to think about. It is not a longer name, I just wanted it to be one syllable.

How did you find yourself back in Kentucky?

So when I moved back here in 2013 I opened a small store called Sycamore. It's where Fern is now, anyway in 2015 my dad had a stroke and my brother was close enough to where I grew up in Monroe, Louisiana. I had a store in Connecticut called Button. I found a location, and kind of “tried it on” for size. You know in my head and I was like “alright”.

Question: How would you describe the products and services in your store?

I like the handcrafted items from wherever they may be- whether they're in Ecuador or Vietnam or India or whatever- you know I do have a lot of things that are handcrafted.  That's my preference. I just like things that have a hand to them, natural materials for the most part. I have some vintage; I order a lot of things for people, lighting furniture, vinyl mats, rugs…50 pink wine glasses, but didn't want them all to be the same so I found those too. I have a lot of resources.

Question: How do people know that you have a lot of resources or do they just pop in and request things…?

Well I mean, repeat customers, I do have a lot of customers and then I do a website camphomestyle.com.

I just want a connection with the customer. I did interiors for years. I always like a customer with a point of view. I like to know what they were about as opposed to selling them a look. So I'm much more interested in knowing what makes you happy, as opposed to what is current or what is in style.

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