Gather

Michael Hagie (above) knows ladies don’t live by handbags alone, so he’s bucking the trend: His new boutique at Edina’s 50th & France isn’t a women’s fashion store. The most current wave at the retail-heavy intersection has emphasized women’s apparel—giving a much-needed boost to the local retail scene, by the way—but Hagie’s home-accents store, Gather (4999 France Ave. S., Mpls., 612-920-1400) offers shoppers a lovely, well-edited selection of decorative objects, entertaining wares, home décor, and hostess gifts.

A new name in local retail and new to town, the interior designer spent seven years in New York as a sale representative for a high-end textile manufacturer followed by a stint in SoHo as a gallery manager for an importer of Asian arts, antiques, and furniture. Hagie was ready for a change, so the Iowa native returned to the Midwest—specifically Minneapolis. He joined retail forces with his mother, Barb Hagie, who also owns a shop in Northern Iowa, and together they opened Gather this past May.

The pair blended all of their influences to create a mix that includes pieces with “heirloom potential,” such as Eva Gordon ceramics, Chinese porcelain, serving pieces from Torre & Tagus, and nineteenth-century botanical engravings, as well as Esteban candles and other “grab and go” gifts.

Hagie’s vision has created a destination boutique that blends nicely with the neighboring shops, which are currently offering velvet blazers, embroidered bags, and sexy jeans.