On one of my recent springtime strolls through the downtown market, I stumbled upon an enchanting gift boutique on Salem Avenue, WyndRose. I was enticed to wander into the shop by a sign that reads “Shop local, Support global.” As soon as I walked through the door, I was surrounded by beautiful colorful gifts of all shapes and sizes. WyndRose is a boutique focused on fair trade and sustainably sourced home décor with a selection of jewelry and some apparel. There is also a focus on celebrating local artists in this charming boutique.
I had the pleasure of visiting with Rachelle Walker, the owner of WyndRose. Both being Roanoke natives who love to travel, we immediately clicked. She opened the boutique in March of this year. During her college years studying Merchandising and Design at Virginia Tech, she began to expand her interest in eco-friendly and sustainable merchandise. Early in her marriage, she and her husband traveled the world for almost a year – 30 countries and 7 continents. (Read about their travels and enjoy their fabulous travel photography on their travel blog: walkersworldwide.com).
When asked about her favorite travel destination, she replied, “There are so many beautiful places in the world, it would be difficult to choose just one. On our travels we were drawn to the outdoors and the mountains. That’s partly why we were drawn back to the Blue Ridge Mountains when we were ready to settle into a permanent home.”
She reflected on her travels when she chose the name WyndRose representing “Wind rose” which was used on maps prior to the compass rose. The wind rose shows the frequency of winds blowing from particular directions over a specified period.
Eco-friendly, sustainable products have come a long way in recent years and the quality of WyndRose merchandise reflects that. The home décor and gifts offered at Wyndrose are sourced from companies that care. They offer an amazing array of candles – indoor, outdoor candles made with essential oils and soy wax. I was especially enthralled by the dough bowl candles. Each hand carved wooden dough bowl is filled with dye-free soy wax. The 3 wick dough bowl candle will burn for 40–45 hours. After the candle is gone, the dough bowl can be used as a dough bowl for bread making or as a lovely rustic accessory in your home.
Looking for adorable baby gifts? WyndRose has newborn gowns, onesies and swaddles along with teethers, rattles and “lovies” made of bamboo and organic cotton fibers. Safe and socially conscious products for baby.
Want to spruce up your dining room table this summer? WyndRose has beautiful hand-blown glass wine goblets and the most fun UASHMAMA washable paper bags. What would you do with a washable paper bag? You may have seen them on the tables of the chicest restaurants. They are handmade in Italy from washable paper material, exclusively made of natural fibers. I like to fill them with breadsticks and baguettes to serve with a cheese board. Fill the small size bag with herb plants for clever table decorations. Use them to store all sorts of things, but keep them on display, they are too pretty to tuck away.
So what are you waiting for? Skip on downtown to visit WyndRose or shop online: https://wyndroseboutique.com.
About the Author:
BECKY ELLIS is a freelance writer specializing in southern food, champagne and cocktails. She loves to share tips for entertaining with bubbly. Find her creative food and cocktail recipes along with champagne tasting notes on her blog biscuitsandbubbly.com and Instagram at @biscuits.n.bubbly.
