Dear Neighbor opens Friday

New Retail Experience Dear Neighbor opens in Church Hill on
Black Friday

Creative duo behind Drift/Riot Jewelry expand into brick-and-mortar offering a one stop shop for gifts and one-of-a-kind items

RICHMOND – Kristy Santelli Cotter and Evan Cotter, the husband and wife team behind growing local jewelry line Drift/Riot, have ventured into the brick-and-mortar realm with the gift shop DEAR NEIGHBOR, slated to open its doors for the very first time this Friday, November 25, to coincide with holiday shopping.

The compact, 550 square foot shop is located at 2415 Jefferson Avenue in the heart of Church Hill and sits in the couple’s backyard. While designed to integrate into the neighborhood, the store’s iconic charcoal black exterior with gilded accents are a subtle nod to Santelli’s jewelry line. The interior of the store adheres to a strict black and white, minimalist color palette, even down to the product itself. The brand lineup includes:

• Augusta Wind – Netherlands-based leather goods line

• One & Many- handcrafted ceramics from Israeli designer Yaara Landau-Katz

• Forestbound – American-made utilitarian bags designed in New England

• Drift/Riot- Handcrafted jewelry, recently seen on Refinery29 and InStyle Magazine.

• Richmond Brands – Including Na Nin Fragrances, Tulip & Bear, Molly Sanyour Ceramics, Maslo Jewelry, Bear Ceramics, and giantLION Jewelry.

“We want to remove some of the anxiety of gift giving, and also help save time for our busy friends, family, and customers.” Cotter said. The store will offer gift-wrapping services featuring specially designed wrapping paper by local artists. In 2017, Dear Neighbor will offer gift delivery for customers who may be experiencing a gift-giving emergency.

“Dear Neighbor is more than just a retail space, it’s a place for our neighbors, whether that be right here in Church Hill or our friends throughout Richmond, to gather and relax, shop, and check off their to-do lists. It will be fun but also functional.”

Santelli Cotter’s workshop where she designs, handcrafts jewelry, and operates Drift/Riot’s e-commerce presence out of her home is just steps from the Dear Neighbor shop.

Santelli Cotter said: “We’re just excited to continue to grow our presence in Richmond’s vibrant creative community. The Church Hill neighborhood is truly the perfect venue for this kind of shop, and our neighbors at Sub Rosa Bakery and The Roosevelt have been supportive of Dear Neighbor since day one. We’re honored to build it here.”