Inspired by charity, the benefits of face-to-face interactions with customers, and the uniqueness of local artists, The Gifted shop describes itself as “the Heart of Giving.” Gretchen Meyer, the owner of the small boutique in Hyde Park, says that the slogan refers to “the care and attention that a truly wonderful gift can convey. It also speaks directly to the fact that while we talk much about gifts and giving. Our charitable gifting is always something we want to keep in the forefront of people’s minds.”
“I believe that gifts, the truly special ones, communicate to someone that you ‘see them,’” Meyer explains. “That you notice what they love or want to do something for them they might not do for themselves. We love helping people find those gifts for others, or perhaps something for themselves.”
The Gifted, which opened in November 2016, sells home décor such as clocks, pillows, and serving pieces, as well as accessories such as jewelry, handbags, and scarves. All items are “carefully selected for high quality craftsmanship,” Meyer says, and The Gifted focuses on items that are “unique to the Cincinnati shopping scene,” featuring local artists and artisans. “I also have such incredible respect for artists and artisans,” Meyer says. “The shop is a way of acknowledging their gifts and helping showcase their work.”
The Gifted also focuses on charity. In addition to looking for vendors that are philanthropic themselves, The Gifted pairs with a different local charity every quarter, and during that period, a portion of the sales is “gifted” to that charity. Meyer explains that “having a charitable component to the shop was part of the founding inspiration.”
The final important component of The Gifted is the emphasis on face-to-face interactions. Meyer says, “I believe that even though so much of our lives are based electronically, there is still a place for incredible customer service and attention. People still respond to that type of care. I also believe that some things, especially those that are unique or higher quality, truly need to be experienced in person.”
The Gifted will be involved in two upcoming trunk shows. The first one, on the 27 and 28, will be with Heet, a brand of statement-making jewelry. All pieces in The Gifted’s collection will be made by highly-trained artisans with only the finest materials, such as genuine Swarovski crystal elements and premium natural leathers, suede, and other textiles. On May 3, The Gifted will be featured in a trunk show with ExVoto Vintage, a collection of one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry created from antique and vintage elements. A portion of sales from this trunk show will go toward The Cure Starts Now Foundation for pediatric brain cancer research.
The Gifted Shop is located at 3443 Edwards Road in Hyde Park. To learn more, visit their website, give them a call (513) 918-5304 or like them on Facebook.