With big bright windows, warm colors, and carefully curated children's goods, Playdate is a special little shop along West Asheville's Haywood Road corridor. We got to interview owner Francesca Santi about how it all came to be, what went into creating the vibe of the shop, music she's been listening to lately, and a bunch more. Read the full interview after the jump!
Tell us about who you are and what you do.
Hi! My name is Francesca. My partner Logan and I have an almost 2 year old boy named Enzo and a 4 month old shop named Playdate. It's a brand new children’s store in West Asheville! We carry a unique selection of sustainably made clothing, toys, and other goods for little ones ages 0-6.
When Enzo was a few months old, I was having trouble finding him any clothing or toys locally that were both well made and gender neutral. I was on the internet finding some incredible children’s clothing/toy companies, but wishing I could have the tangible experience of seeing/touching/holding the items before buying them. I started joking with Logan that I was just going to open up my own store, and then one day I realized I wasn’t joking at all.
How would you describe the vibe of the shop?
Timeless and cozy and whimsical, but fuss-free. Everything we carry has to be appealing to look at for both a child and a parent. But not in a precious way that makes you scared to bring your kids in to shop with you! My dad's side of the family is from Italy, and I grew up going to all kinds of cozy family-run shops over there. There was a nearby shoe store, pastry shop, and toy store that we would frequent every time we visited. I have such sweet memories of that time as a kid and wanted the overall vibe to feel like a welcoming little neighborhood spot like that. A permanent fixture, and a place families want to visit over and over because they trust us and feel that we're a safe space.
Do you have a personal favorite product?
I think right now it's our 'A Year in Nature' pop up book. It shows a forest scene through every season and it can be tied up to spin like a carousel. It's really calming to look at.
In another life, if you weren’t running one of the coolest lil shops in town, what do you think you’d be doing?
I'd be living that rural Tuscan life with my family. We'd garden and read books and eat so much pasta and have dial-up internet. and Enzo would get a great affordable education.
I've learned to accept help from others. You'd think having a kid would teach me that. But our storefront was made possible by many talented people with many different skill sets. And since opening, I've relied heavily on friends with more established businesses to answer all my complicated retail questions. I can't imagine being here without all that help.
If you could have any person (living or dead) come help out at the shop for the day who would it be?
AOC!
Music you've been listening to lately?
I made a very random shop playlist recently that includes Julianna Barwick, Gwenno, and We are King.
Favorite food spot in Asheville?
Cucina 24 forever
Anything else you'd like to add?
You can also find our shop online at www.playdategoods.com !
Follow Playdate on Instagram (@playdategoods) | Photo Credit: Annabelle Sadler