New Dog in Town: Brown Dog Trading Co.

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At Brown Dog Trading Co., a newly opened boutique in Stonewall Shopping Center, bracelets and necklaces under $10 are displayed alongside $5,000 paintings, and whimsical animal hats look natural next to unique clay sculptures, repurposed furniture and even baby onesies decorated with funny messages.

With unique and creative displays built and designed by the shop’s owner, Suzanne Wright, the shop is almost a work of art itself, and features an extensive inventory of items created by Kentucky artisans.

“I wanted my shoppers to be caught by surprise, to experience finding uncommon items at the most unexpected places,” said Wright. She opened the 3,000-square-foot boutique this summer, and operates it singlehandedly.

“My goal is to promote Kentucky and to help local artists sell their art,” said Wright. “I spent two years searching through the state to find the artists I wanted to be in my shop.”

As part of that search, Wright visited art and craft festivals throughout the state and spent endless hours online looking for unique talents she wanted to work with.

“I saw Tamora’s paintings at the festival, and I knew I wanted her art,” said Wright, referring to Tamora Bartlett from Paris, Kentucky, whose work is prominently displayed at the boutique. “Her colors were amazing, and every painting was different.”

She found Pamela Gaska, a jewelry maker from Nicholasville, online and contacted her right away.

“She was not making trendy things – she was setting the trend, and that’s what kind of artists I’m looking for,” said Wright.

Cathy Wade of Louisville makes her “quirky skirts” of vintage fabrics. Wright liked the uniqueness of them and brought them to the boutique.

Then she met Linda Taylor, a knitting artist from Mount Vernon.

“She’s a little granny – she started out by making animal hats for her grandson, and now she’s a knitting artist in high demand,” said Wright.

Today, Taylor’s funny and cheerful hats are displayed all over the store and are very popular even offseason.

Not only does Wright know how to find unique pieces of art, she also knows how to display them just right, so that they complement each other. Items in the boutique are displayed with intention and careful consideration.

“I rely on my intuition. I don’t like following the rules,” said Wright.

To this end, she painted the walls bright yellow instead of neutral and also displays the works of the same artist in different parts of the store instead of on the same shelf or counter.

Wright’s success in designing her boutique is not an accident: She spent 20 years as a designer for companies that include Ethan Allen and Barr Display, and she completed projects for Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World.

“I had a successful career. I traveled the country. It was exciting, and for the longest time I did not believe I would ever come back to live in Kentucky,” said Wright, who was born in Lexington, only a mile away from the shop. She spent her teenage years in the Gainesway area.

After two decades of being away, she came home to visit her mother in 2009. She thought it was going to be a few weeks, but she ended up staying permanently.

“I had a dream to have my boutique for decades, I just didn’t know it would be right here, where I grew up,” Wright said.

She often repeats an old adage she believes is very true for her: “Sometimes right where you started from is right back where you belong.”

Wright’s mother, Millie McGlothin, and her older sister, Janet Mueller, contributed major help in opening the store.

“They are both very artistic. They taught me how to be creative and how to make things when I was growing up, and now they are helping with everything,” said Wright.

In addition to her family, Wright has another helper: Otis, her 3-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback/hound/boxer mix, whose job is to greet customers and to carry each package from behind the counter and “hand” it to them.

“He’s a celebrity. People call and ask if Otis is in the store. I say, ‘yes he is, but he can’t come to the phone,’” said Wright with a smile.

At this point, there are no employees at the store, and Wright does everything herself – including cleaning the floors and taking out the garbage. Instead of paying herself a salary, she puts any money made back into her business.

“According to my business plan, real profits were to start in the ninth month, but things are going well; it might be in the sixth month or earlier,” said Wright.

In the meantime, she makes sure her artists are paid fairly.

“I send them ‘fat’ checks at the end of every month,” she said.

Wright used to make jewelry and even belonged to the Lexington Art League in the 1980s, so she knows firsthand how the artists are often underpaid.

“My goal is that artists are treated fairly,” she said.

Wright gives the artists an opportunity to lease space for a small monthly fee. This way, they can retain 90 percent of each sale instead of a typical 50/50 split. She said her concept is loosely based on the old-fashioned antique malls, except her place is very modern and definitely doesn’t look like an antique mall.

“I believe my concept allows the artists to do what they do best: creating their art,” said Wright.

While Brown Dog Trading Co. is on its way to being financially solvent, the boutique’s neighbors are already feeling the benefit.

“This shop brings in so much business,” said Cheryl McDaniel, owner of Crazy Dogs Deli and Larry Mac’s Cheese Spreads next door.

Diane Shropshire, a hairdresser for the salon down the street, said she’s getting new clients due to the boutique.

“It’s a great place, and it helps the whole shopping center come alive,” Shropshire said. cc

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