For the past three generations, style has reigned among the female members of the Valade family. Gretchen C. Valade was the granddaughter of Hamilton Carhartt, who founded the iconic workwear brand in 1889. More than her status as a Carhartt heiress though, she was hailed as “The Angel of Jazz” because she philanthropically saved the Detroit Jazz Festival. She also owned an independent record label as well as a variety of businesses, including the Dirty Dog Jazz Café and Capricious — a Grosse Pointe Farms clothier.
Valade set the stage for her daughter-in-law, Molly Valade, and granddaughter, Gretchen R. Valade, to follow in her entrepreneurial footsteps.
Pearl
After Gretchen C.’s passing in 2022, Molly inherited Capricious. After an extensive remodel, she’s ushering in a new era, and relaunched the historic Grosse Pointe Farms boutique this past September as Pearl, in honor of the family name Gretchen (it means “pearl” in German).
Inspired by the Haussmann-style apartments of Paris, designer Owen Maher helped Pearl’s owner, Molly Valade, create a boutique that’s clean and contemporary.
The vision, initially, was to modernize and simplify the space. It was important to me to highlight the product and bring it to the forefront of the experience for customers shopping at Pearl,” Molly says. “I wanted a clean, more contemporary look, with beautiful furniture and artwork.”
She enlisted Owen Maher to help realize her vision. Maher, a Grosse Pointe native and longtime family friend, owns Studio Sagar Maher, an architectural and interior design firm based in Santa Fe, N.M. “We were inspired by the Haussmann-style apartments lining the streets of Paris — spaces that have seen decades of design change and have served as backdrops to some of the world’s chicest lives,” Maher shares.
Hardwood replaced the busy carpeting, and the walls were painted white for a simple, sleek look. “The interior design vision for Pearl was a collaboration based on Molly’s deep appreciation, respect, and passion for craft and design. We wanted the architectural envelope of the existing spaces to recede in many ways, allowing the art, clothing, and accessories to really be featured,” he explains.
Eugenie
Not far away, on a quaint corner in Detroit’s West Village neighborhood, Molly’s daughter, Gretchen R., has a boutique, Eugenie, that also underwent a transformation with help from Maher.
Gretchen R. and her husband, Kevin Steen, launched Eugenie in 2020. This past July, the sustainably-minded retailer reopened its doors following a remodel of its flagship. “Our constant — and what we would always go back to with Owen — is the idea of simplifying the experience. We wanted to use natural materials, with design at the forefront of any decision being made. We wanted it to feel more like a concept and design space, rather than a retail store,” says Gretchen R., who’s the director of sustainability at Carhartt. She and her husband also own ARCHIVE by Eugenie, a new clothing boutique in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood.
Design was at the forefront of all decisions related to the remodel of eugenie. Natural materials, custom millwork, and niche furniture pieces all contribute to the boutique’s signature aesthetic.
“The renovation incorporates modernist aesthetics, with woodworking done locally by GLW Detroit, and it includes a beautifully curved shelving wall and elevated jewelry case, as well as billowy fabrics and niche designer furniture from makers including Sophie Lou Jacobsen and Anna Karlin,” Maher says. “Beyond anything, it was Gretchen and Kevin themselves who inspired the interior design. As individuals deeply committed to their community, to the arts, and to their team, ensuring they had the tools and space that met their passion was all the inspiration a designer could ask for.”
Maher adds: “Molly and Gretchen have an incredibly loving and supportive relationship. As anyone who has the pleasure of knowing them can attest, this doesn’t stop with each other; they welcome their communities to enjoy the same. While the retail stores are independent of one another, it’s hard to ignore the prevailing spirit of this support.”
The spirit Maher refers to isn’t exclusive to a family business; it’s a family bond. Molly and Gretchen offer artful, community-focused retail environments, and both have developed a signature style that’s built to last.
MORE INFORMATION:
eugeniedetroit.com, sagarmaher.com, shoppearl.com
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