One Year Brings Lots of New & Old to Edith’s Emporium!

Edith’s Emporium located at 1914 McCallie Avenue, in the Historic Downtown Business District of Chattanooga celebrated their first birthday on July 12 this year. Covid and all its havoc could not detour Kay and James Hardeman. They have come out on the other side of it doing great and feeling blessed. Owner Kay Hardeman told me 2020 may have been a little slow, but they have really enjoyed welcoming so many new faces almost daily this spring and summer.

Edith’s Emporium has filled every booth space, and now keeps a list in case any spaces come available. This cozy shop is inside one of the historic homes along McCallie Avenue, just a short distance from where Kay’s grandmother Edith Allegra Fraley Steakley lived from 1944 until she passed in 2000. Kay treasures the memories of her grandmother Edith Steakley, known as Big Momma to them. She was known for her community service, and her active role in the Chattanooga Opera Guild and Chattanooga Theatre Centre. Kay named her store Edith’s Emporium to honor her memory, and shares her beautiful portraits inside.

Edith’s Emporium has added several new vendors this summer, filling every space with a diversified collection of antiques, vintage furniture and smalls, paintings and photography by local artists, locally-made foods, as well as jewelry and embroidery items. Kay describes this variety of products as “new, old, old that look new, and some new that look old.” She said, “We have small and large items, something for every customer, including the younger; everyone leaves with something they need or with something they didn’t realize they needed.” They have vendors that are local to the area, as well as several who drive a little distance to share their finds or hand and custom-made products.

Kay said she is blessed with the best workers whom she could not thank enough for what they have brought to the business. Jennifer Perkins works part time, staging for Kay and others where there’s a need. She’s also a vendor/artist who makes faux fabric jewelry, custom-made earring holders, studs and key chains. She also offers paintings that she creates using a genre called “dirty pouring” art. Jennifer keeps Kay’s social media pages, both Facebook and Instagram up-to-date, posting almost daily as new items arrive. 

Another employee, Pam Day, assists with customers, welcoming them and helping them while they’re shopping. She, too has a vendor space consisting of unique home decor and treasures. I got to speak to Jennifer, and she described a lot of the food items made locally to Chattanooga. They have numerous selections including Daisy & Duke sauces, Moonshine pickles, Hearth & Pantry jams, D & D cornbread, biscuit and pancake mixes, and a new product of thumb print cookies by LoLo Dots, to name a few.

She described what beautiful art Kay creates with custom embroidery monogramming. Look for her beautiful selections in the kitchen. There’s aprons, towels and oven mitts that everyone loves to take home, and they make awesome gifts. Kay Hardeman is not one to brag on herself, but Jennifer described the beautiful artwork Kay creates in her workroom there in the store. She will monogram any type of clothing, from jackets to beach wear. Caps are a great item that both men and women like customized. Once she gets your information into her computer, she can monogram the embroidery work on any item you may need. Customers come to her with dozens of clothing and cap orders. If you have a business and want to customize a shirt or jacket with your business name or employees names, Kay’s the one to call. 

Kay said she’s really enjoyed the different stories that come with owning a store as she’s meeting and making new friends. She agrees with my quote, “everyone has a story to tell.” She told me about a lady and daughter shopping with them recently while Pam was working. Pam suddenly heard the lady’s excited scream and went running. The customer was standing in Pam’s vendor space with a painting she’d found, exclaiming “I painted this!” The lady had taken an art class at the age of 10 and for one of her assignments, she had gone out in her neighborhood and painted a picture of a neighbor in his wheelchair. The teacher had at some point given away or discarded the painting after many years. Pam had purchased it in a thrift store, hung it in her office at school for a while, decided to sell it, and now the lady finds it while shopping! What was more ironic, the lady who painted the piece at age 10 has been an art therapist in the Chattanooga area for a number of years. Pam took a picture of her before she left with her purchased self painted art piece, and Kay put it on the store’s Facebook page. Even more ironic, Kay’s brother called her and told her, “That’s Jazz, my neighbor you posted a picture of on Facebook!”

Like Kay expressed, “Where else are you going to find something so astonishing? It’s just one of many stories that happens right in our store!” There’s something new and old arriving almost daily at Edith’s Emporium. You’ll love how they stage throughout this unique house, making it very easy to enjoy spending time browsing and shopping for gifts, antiques, vintage finds, candles, lamps, paintings, and amazing decor. You’ll want to take home a couple of special food goodies, and something monogrammed by Kay as well. Take time to enjoy this great venue. It’s worth the drive!

By Maxine B Jones, Ocoee, Tennessee