Long before Tara Layne and her husband Scott became the co-owners of Woodstock Home, her sisters-in-law, her aunt, and her cousin kept asking her when she would open a Christmas shop. Knowing that Tara had experience in retail owning a clothing store in Florida, and knowing that she loved Christmas, it seemed like a perfect match. Tara did open a store, but not the one her family expected. And in some ways, it wasn’t the way she and Scott expected.

 

Falling in Love with Woodstock

Until 2021, Tara had never been to Woodstock. Scott, who grew up on Long Island, came to town regularly as a child to visit his aunt. When the opportunity arose for Scott to share this special place with Tara, he was in for a surprise. “We drove into Woodstock,” Scott says, “and I said, ‘This has not changed a bit. It’s just the way I recall it from the last time’,” which was 30 years before.

Tara saw Woodstock with fresh eyes, and she fell in love. They planned another trip for the summer of the following year, and during that trip, on a whim, they bought a house in South Woodstock and moved to town.  While Tara was contemplating opening a shop, a spot at 1 The Green, the building that once housed the White Cupboard Inn, became available. “At first I was hesitant,” says Tara. “It didn’t feel like a traditional retail space. But once we stepped inside and felt the warmth and natural light, it immediately felt like home.”

Being a place that once welcomed visitors, homeyness perhaps imbues the building. The 700-square-foot space Woodstock Home occupies has two fireplaces, a ceiling height similar to what you have in your home, and six-over-six windows.

 

Thoughtfully Stocking the Store

Tara and Scott signed their lease in February, went home, had a celebratory drink, and got to work ordering merchandise for the shop. “We chose pieces that were interesting, unique, and things that we would genuinely want in our home,” Tara says. When they asked friends what they would like to see in the shop, one replied, “birdhouses.” So Tara brought in birdhouses.  At Woodstock Home, beyond those lodgings for our feathered friends, you’ll find pillows, both campy and cultured; baseball caps and cowboy hats; stands for your cakes and ottomans for your feet; paintings by local artists and puzzles of local scenes; calendars to mark the days; and barware to celebrate the evenings. And, of course, our furry friends’ needs—or our needs for our furry friends—are well represented.

What is surprisingly different and refreshing about Woodstock Home is its selection and variety of clothing for men. Early in their ownership, Tara and Scott acted on a comment from a local, Joe DeNatale. Tara recalls that he came in one day and asked, “Why don’t you have any men’s clothing?” And while there was some, there wasn’t a lot. She promised Joe she’d get more.

Scott notes, “It’s amazing how many people [and he means guys] come to town for weddings and forget ties, belts, and socks.” Any fretful guest coming into Woodstock Home with his pants uncinched or his shirt open at the collar will feel relief upon spying the racks of belts, fun, vibrant ties and bowties, shirts, socks, and other accessories. The labels include Scott Barber, Paige, and others that fit the Woodstock vibe. The women’s line of clothing is more extensive; dresses, jeans, tops, sweaters, and more at various price points fill the racks.

 

Seasonal Magic

One of the challenges that had to be overcome, Scott notes, is that in a shop with lots of windows, there isn’t a lot of wall space for racks. Not a problem to Scott, though, who is an architect. He devised a solution—long rods running across the wall at about halfway up the height of the windows, the perfect height for browsing. Since the windows can’t be used effectively for merchandising, this clever configuration won’t sacrifice display space, only enhance it.

And though Woodstock Home won’t be able to create holiday window displays like those you might find at the shops on Central and Elm Streets, the seasonal warmth and magic will be on full display inside. Tara and Scott rented an extra two rooms upstairs from the shop just to store their holiday decorations. All that seasonal fare around the store will add to Woodstock Home’s already comfortable and festive mood, but Tara may go a step further. She’s negotiating with Santa himself to drop by for a visit. Time will tell if he can work the shop into his busy schedule.

Whether Santa appears or not, the shop will be full of festive holiday gift ideas like fir-tree decorated pitchers and Ski Season Sangria mixes to add to them; holiday themed puzzles; ornaments for tree, wall, and table; and Christmas sweaters, but not the ugly kind. Woodstock Home will have wrapping paper, too, but if you’re wrapping-challenged, they’ll wrap your gifts for you.

Returning to the birdhouse conversation Tara and Scott had when they were dreaming of their shop, their friend also expressed another wish. She would like to never travel across the river to do her shopping. Scott echoes that same desire by relating stories from his past. “I remember my grandmother saying, ‘I wish I could just walk and get you a birthday card, Scott, but I need your assistance.’ Or ‘I need somebody to take me here.’” Tara and Scott see the shop as being part of the bigger Woodstock retail scene in which people can shop for not just gifts, but clothing, household needs, groceries, and other essentials without ever leaving the 05091. That would, indeed, make Woodstock home.

 

Woodstock Home

6 The Green

Woodstock, VT

(802) 432-3002

woodstockhomevt.com