Grace Hulan first stepped foot into Buffalo when she was helping her younger sister move here from Naples, Florida just last year. Incredibly, her sister had pinpointed Buffalo as the place that she and her husband would relocate to because the couple wanted to live in a city that was experiencing a rebirth. “Our family is originally from Newfoundland, which is where my mother still lives,” Grace explained. “It was only when my sister decided that she was moving to Buffalo, that I first learned about this city. But it was while moving her into her new house (Buffalo’s oldest house – the Coit House) that I fell in love with Buffalo. When I got back to Athens, Georgia, where I had lived for 24 years, I decided that I also wanted to live in Buffalo, so I packed up my things and made the 900 mile trek, arriving in the middle of a blizzard, loving every minute of it.”
As I spoke to Grace, standing in her new Elmwood Avenue store called Lavender & Sage Sundries, I couldn’t help but be taken with her story. Yes, her sister had literally moved to Buffalo after looking for a city on the rise. And she and her husband weren’t even aware of the Coit House until their arrival. On top of that, Grace wasn’t sure exactly what she was going to do in Buffalo, until she decided to go into business for herself, opening up a shabby chic furniture and home accessories boutique in a stunning little Allentown storefront. “I went to school in Georgia, and then ran a number of businesses while I lived there,” Grace told me. “Now I’m running my own home decor business. Design runs in my family. My sister who first moved here is an interior designer and her husband works on house restorations. My other sister refinishes furniture. My own design taste is classic and “French laundry” decor – furniture and sundries. It’s also a little bit shabby chic.”
Poking around Lavender & Sage Sundries, it’s easy to see that Grace knows her stuff. She’s a whizz at staging and arranging simple yet elegant vignettes that make you want to move right in. “I wanted the shop to be softer and homier,” Grace told me. “It’s warm and inviting, as if you’re walking into a house. As for my home goods, I sought out artists and artisans who design and build their works – handmade, handcrafted, hand blown – the majority of everything is made by artisans through ingenuity, motivation and ambition. I have also been connecting with local artists and artisans, and am networking in those circles.”
As I was speaking to Grace, a couple of those artists that she mentioned walked right in through the front door – an artist who works with glass and a graphic designer and sketch artist. The latter artist was Mickey Harmon, who had just finished creating a custom work for Grace. It was only then that I realized that the storefront, as large as it was, also had an attached gallery space in the back. And not a small one at that. It’s not everyday that a retail business opens, which seconds as a gallery. I found that the mix of retail and gallery space was limitless with what could be done. The upfront, intimate shopping atmosphere gives way to a stark openness, presenting a visual dichotomy that almost trips up the brain. It’s almost too good to be true.
The interesting thing about Lavender & Sage Sundries (there are a few) is that it is a cross between an Elmwood, Hertel and Allentown shopping experience. Somehow, an out-of-towner, who serendipitously fell in love with Buffalo, managed to create a place that incorporates locally made soaps and candles, with antique treasures, whimsical decor treasures, and a gallery to boot!
Before my visit was over, I caught Grace glancing out the window. As she stared out onto the street, she exclaimed, “I love this time of day. It looks so beautiful right now. I love that it’s not 110 degrees and it’s actually cool. I couldn’t bear it if it was sweltering and humid out there. I love Buffalo’s weather.” That statement earned Grace a hug over a handshake.
The next time that you are looking for a wedding gift, or you simply need some decor inspiration for your pad, don’t think twice about heading over to Lavender & Sage Sundries. Grace will greet you with a friendly “Hello” before sending you off with a “Ya’ll come back, eh?” The send off is a mashup between her southern charm and her outgoing Canadian friendliness, as Grace’s dueling dialects do their best to keep each other in check. Thankfully we have drawn Grace and her family (husband and kids are in transit) into our midst, so that she can call this city home. I’m sure that Buffalo’s own charm and hospitality will will live up to her expectations. According to Grace, “I couldn’t be happier.”
Lavender & Sage Sundries | 125 Elmwood Avenue | Buffalo, New York | (716) 322-7121 | Facebook