#thenearby

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EXCITING NEWS!

Hey Shoppers! We are very excited to share with you that The Nearby is now operating under a new name and visual identity - House Account. We believe the name House Account more closely aligns with our mission of combining the time-honored advantages of curated shopping, personal service and specialty retail experience with the modern day mobile lifestyle.   Everything you know and love about The Nearby will remain the same - House Account is a mobile community that fosters meaningful relationships between shoppers and local stores, enables real time communication with store personnel, and provides the convenience of immediate shopping and discovery.   We are reintroducing a personal touch that has become lost in the swiftness of e-commerce. With House Account, you feel like a VIP with instant, inside access to the in-store service and environment you have received from your favorite stores. You get a first look at the latest products, styles and trends, the assistance of a sales associate, and all the perks and promotions offered to loyal customers - all with the click of a button. From our team you can expect the same quality (and speed!) of customer care, the same highly edited shops and the release of new features in the app soon!   Please check the App Store for an update of the app which includes our new name. If you have any questions or concerns about The Nearby's conversion to House Account, please do not hesitate to reach out to Amanda, Casey, Meg or Winston. We are enthusiastic about the updates to our app and would be more than happy to share our thoughts with you, answer any questions, and hear your feedback! xo The House Account Team (formerly The Nearby) Please feel free to reach out to Amanda with any questions: [email protected].

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MEET OUR NEW MARKETING GURU, WINSTON PHILLIPS

Meet the newest member of The Nearby Team, Winston Phillips! She joins us as our Director of Marketing and we're absolutely thrilled to have her on board! Get to know a little about Winston and feel free to shoot her an email at [email protected] to say hello! She'd love to hear from you!

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Style Icon(s): My alter-egos: Audrey Hepburn and Leadra Medine (a.k.a. the Man Repeller)

Words to live by/favorite quote: “Here is my secret. It is very simple. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; What is essential is invisible to the eye.” Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The quote I try to live by!

Tell us about yourself! What made you want to come work for The Nearby? Working with The Nearby is a dream! I was an Art History major at Davidson College, and I have spent the past few years attempting to find my place in the corporate world – ideally somewhere at the intersection of business, creativity and art/fashion.  I have finally found the perfect blend, and I finally feel at home :) I wanted to work for The Nearby because I share its values and believe in its mission, 100%.  Our goal is simple. At root, it is to support small business, local economies, incredibly talented individuals and of course, great taste. It makes me smile ear to ear knowing that I have found a job where I can do all of this.

Favorite local spots in Charlotte? Restaurants, shops, bars? I LOVE to live and eat local when I can, so you can be sure to find me at any farm-to-table restaurant or farmer’s market!! Some of my favs: Luna’s Living Kitchen, Fern, Good Food, Harvest Moon, Barrington’s and of course, good ole’ Reid’s Grocery. I always stock up on my Lenny Boy Kombucha (bottled right here in Charlotte, NC!) at Atherton Mill’s farmer’s market, and hit up Be Yoga for some awesome vinyasa! The Greenway is my favorite way to get outdoors.

Show us your feed faves...what’s on your wish list in the app right now? Dying for all of these...And Y not? at Flagship By George, So Chic, So Celine at A'maree's, Lanvin Mini Wedge at Flagship By George, Swan Dress In Winter White at Ramey Rhodes, Dani Renchard Painting at Wizzie Broach Interiors...

What do you love about The Nearby? This is such a fun question to answer! To start, I love what The Nearby stands for – community, relationships, and local everything. The Nearby’s mission is to help people realize that shopping and living local is as easy (and better) than doing everything online. Our goal is to support local boutiques, stores and artists and to educate consumers, and this is a goal that I’m honored to work towards every single day! Of course,my absolute FAVORITE part about using the app is discovering new shops around the country. Every single store is stunning and so incredibly unique. The spaces and merchandise are beautiful, and they are all perfectly edited and curated for their local communities and clientele – which is why following stores in California, for example, is so fun and exciting to me. Finally, what I have loved even more is getting to know the faces and the talent behind these wonderful local institutions. I always look forward to using the “comment” or “buy/chat” features on the app so I can get to know some awesome people! At the end of the day we are a community, and independent retailers are all benefitting one another by coming together. The Nearby encourages consumers nationwide to support local economies and local talent. This app brings people together.  

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Look who's #winning! The Nearby is the most popular app in the "Popular Near Me" tab in the App Store!

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THE 1ST ANNUAL GARDEN & GUN JUBILEE

Do you have your tickets to the Garden & Gun Jubilee: Made in the South Weekend yet? You better hurry up and grab yours! Beginning the evening of December 5th and running through the evening of December 8th in Charleston, the weekend-long event celebrates a mix of sporting, shopping, food, music and art in the South. The Made in the South Weekend will be the largest signature event hosted by the magazine with thousands of guests from all over the country. Garden & Gun expects between 500 and 1000 guests per day including famed tastemakers and luminaries of Southern culture. Garden & Gun has tapped The Nearby to curate a pop-up boutique at the Event to sell goodies from our favorite Southern shops on the app and we CAN'T WAIT to showcase the best of our Southern stores to the crowds at the Jubilee! Make sure to snag a ticket for the event and come see us at the Charles Towne landing on the Ashley River over the weekend - it's the perfect opportunity to knock out some Christmas shopping!

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THE NEARBY TAKES CALIFORNIA!

After a long flight from CLT to LAX, Casey finally touched down in Los Angeles. She jumped in her rental and headed over to see our friends at Mecox Gardens right when she arrived. At Mecox she chatted with David and putted around yet another one of the beautiful home store's 8 locations. As expected, this one certainly didn't disappoint. 

After exploring LA, Casey took a long trip to Laguna Beach to add some amazing new stores to the app! At Anastasia she was able to grab an iced coffee at Anastasia's Cafe. Yes, there is a cafe attached to the eclectic boutique - beware of getting sucked into the hybrid shop/cafe for hours on end.

When she could finally tear herself away from Anastasia, Casey was able to start Christmas shopping at her next stop, picking up a gorgeous fur gilet for her niece at Hillary, our wonderful new children's shop. We are obsessed with their cute pocket dolls.

Ending the day with a very enthusiastic high-five from Laguna Supply's Dana (a.k.a. Casey's y new style icon), Casey was finally on her way to Newport Beach, but of course not before lunch. Casey managed to ask everyone from shoppers she met to patrons at Zinc Cafe if they feel like they are on vacation everyday of their lives. Just a couple days in and already lots of smiles, lots of laughs, and lots of tans.

Back in the car and Casey's headed to Newport Beach, specifically to the most beautiful store that may exist. Newport Beach in itself is breathtaking but if you have never been to A'maree's, pack a bag and buy a ticket. Imagine shopping over the water, watching paddle boarders cruise down the bay in front of you with natural sunlight streaming in on you through floor to ceiling windows. It's absolutely heavenly.

After finding herself in this incredible place, Casey has a few words of sound advice for any girl looking to get into fashion: "Do yourself a favor and do a lot of listening." Casey sat next to co-owner Dawn as she spoke of the fabulous Paris shows she just returned home from and her vast experience in the industry. What stood out to her the most was when Dawn said, "I play editor to my customers." Music to our ears...

Back in LA, Casey stopped in to see Judith Bright's 3rd location and make a new wishlist for herself. After working in jewelry, she's gained a new appreciation for great lines and quality. Judith thinks about her customers when she makes her pieces. Stop into her Nashville, Atlanta or LA store or chat with her in the app about her pieces. She's even more friendly than she is incredibly talented! As if we needed another reason to love her, she has shop dogs lounging around all 3 of her stores. There's nothing that makes us happier during long days adding shops than a nice furry shop dog (although our mascot Bleeckerman does get jealous when we come home smelling like other pups).

On the way out we explored around, took some great pics and visited some fun little spots including Casey's Cupcakes, Duff's Cake Mix, Book Soup, and of course, hit the beach. It was a great trip! Make sure to check out all of our new great shops in the Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach regions of the app!

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A PEEK INSIDE MEREDITH WENDELL'S SUNNY SHOWROOM

We hopped over talk shop (and score this interview) with Meredith, Ross and Mercer of Meredith Wendell this week and had the greatest time soaking up the sun in their colorful west side studio. Take a look...

Could you ask for a better view? Not bad...

Mercer and Casey taking care of business...

WE WANT IT ALL! Belts on belts on duffles on duffles. We've got our eye on the pink duff.

This little guy is fashion week-ed out. Sleeping it off...

The best part? Meredith sent us home with some MW swag! We LOVE our new bags! Get yours here.

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MEET MEREDITH GERMAN, THE DESIGNER BEHIND MEREDITH WENDELL

Designers Meredith and Wendell German founded Meredith Wendell in 2008. The sporty, resort-inspired accessories brand has since been featured in powerhouse publications including Vogue, Lucky, ELLE, W and  The Wall Street Journal. The line features unique, eye-catching color combinations that add an unexpected pop to any outfit. From funky rope camera straps to woven bracelets to bright (and sometimes fluffy) backpacks, we love it all. As does our mascot Bleeckerman who rocks his MW dog collar daily. Get to know the lady behind the line, Meredith...

Hometown: Lewisburg, WV

Style Icon(s): My Grandparents.

Words to live by/favorite quote: “Take me home, country roads” - John Denver

How would you describe your style? Rushed.

Item from your closet you can't live without? Hermes shawl, my uncle’s vintage Wranglers and my Celine army jacket.

What is the best part about running your biz out of NYC? You are 1 flight away from everywhere!  It’s the easiest and hardest place to live.

Favorite local spots in NYC? Restaurants, shops, bars? The Maritime Hotel, Momofuku, The Rusty Knot, Morandi, Minetta Tavern, The Four Seasons Restaurant, Kirna Zabete, Malia Mills, Save Khaki, Shake Shack.

What or who influences your designs? I grew up close to the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia; it was designed by Dorothy Draper in the 1940’s and still maintained by Carleton Varney today. The interiors are an incredible unexpected mix of print and color. It’s in my blood! 

Favorite pieces from your new collection? Our backpacks are super cool this season.

Love that furry guy? So do we. Click here to snag one for yourself.

What do you love about The Nearby? The Nearby is brilliant - what’s not to love? I would pre-order everything if I could. Please don’t ask Wendell what he thinks of The Nearby. Lately there are a lot of boxes arriving from Capitol and Poole Shop - I am running out of excuses.