Tucked away off King Street, Manse is one of Old Town Alexandria’s newest discoveries, and one that’s easy to miss.
“We’re located just off the beaten path in a space that hadn’t been used for retail before, but that kind of makes it a fun location,” says Andrew Coon, who owns the shop with his husband, Adam Howley, and is the store’s only “employee.”
Manse, which opened last fall, is a housewares and lifestyle shop specializing in gorgeous artisan-made products and décor.
Opening this kind of store has always been a dream of Coon’s.
“I’ve always been passionate about home design,” he says. “So when the opportunity presented itself to open the shop, it just sort of felt like the perfect way to blend that passion with my previous retail-management experience.”
Coon describes walking into Manse as being a transportive experience.
“The vibe is definitely very unique and urban,” he adds. “I wanted there to be a sense of discovery to the store.”
The product mix is carefully curated. Coon works with artisans throughout the United States and beyond to find top-quality glassware, linens, provisions, and more.
From cast-iron skillets to alpaca blankets hand-woven in Peru, there is something interesting at Manse for all.
“I hand-select each and every product in the store myself, which I think makes the shop a unique experience,” adds Coon. “There’s a reason for each item that I bring in, and I try to choose things that you won’t see everywhere.”
Some local artisan labels that can currently be found at Manse include JL Studio Pottery, Potomac Chocolate, Via Volcán, and Petite Soeur.
Coon is also very intentional about choosing products that will cater to a variety of potential customers. “Our goal when opening Manse was to create an eclectic product mix that layers different styles and design aesthetics,” he says.
The Manse customer is anyone who is design-savvy or just interested in beautifully crafted products, says Coon. “We have customers ranging from young, fun kids to sweet 80-year-old ladies,” he adds.
And you needn’t worry about breaking the bank when shopping at Manse. Coon says the goal is to be accessible to the whole community, whether you’re looking to spend $20 or $1,000.
“One thing we really pride ourselves on is having a very varied price range,” says Coon. “I wanted everyone who comes into the store to be able to afford a quality product that brings them joy and enriches their life.” 113 S. Columbus St. (Corsair Alley), Alexandria, 571-257-7244, shopmanse.com
This story originally ran in our May issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
