When Wendy Young’s train from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., stopped in Fredericksburg, she recalls gazing out her window, admiring the rows of quaint, colorful and charming shops and saying, “One day I want to live in a place like this.” In 2016, Young opened Pye & Co, drawing inspiration from old town colonial shop names with a hint of Southern flair.
Renovating homes with her father, a carpenter, developed Young’s passion for interior design and fashion. When she moved to Fredericksburg with her husband, Young quit her job and pursued her dream of opening a store. “We wanted to be a part of downtown and be more than people who lived down here … to help restore it,” Young says.
Her flair for interior decorating with a focus on classic, rustic decor shines as you walk between black pillars accented with gold to the entrance of the downtown store. Immediately, you are greeted by a large painting of a woman draped in red and white. Chalkboards and local art adorn the walls. Outfits are displayed along with advice notes on how to best wear the pieces. And accents and accessories, such as beaded jewelry, scented candles and textured pillows, are showcased throughout.
Young strays away from the preppy, trendy clothing, instead shopping for laid-back brands, like Sam & Lavi and By Together. Her style image includes “all ages and stages,” from University of Mary Washington college students to middle-aged women, selecting simple floral and striped prints in neutral grey and green shades with a splash of pink. Picking brands and products that support small business, like Shore Soap Co. and Southern Company, or American-made clothing like Karli Buxton, fuel her business as she focuses on the importance of shopping locally wherever you go.
For the future, growing within the community and other small businesses is crucial for Young. “We don’t see ourselves as competition,” says Young, who aspires to collaborate on more events similar to previous Girls Nights private shopping parties and wine tastings with Cork and Table. Becoming a large company isn’t the goal, but instead, she focuses on bringing in new designers and expanding the interior design side of the business, where she has a space in the store as well. // 809 Caroline St., Fredericksburg; facebook.com/pyeandcompany
