The Nest Co-Owners Open a Second Location in Newport
Like its predecessor, the shop carries second-hand and vintage clothing and accessories.
A clothing rack holds a plethora of secondhand items. Photo courtesy of The Nest
Five years after opening The Nest, a secondhand and vintage clothing shop in Providence, co-owners Charlotte von Meister and Danielle Sturm felt it was time for a second location. They were searching for a new storefront when they received word of one available on bustling Thames Street in Newport, an opportunity they couldn’t turn down. The shop is located beside viral coffee shop The Nitro Bar, co-owned by von Meister’s high school classmate, Audrey Finocchiaro.
“She’s the one who sent us the picture of the listing and told us we should move in,” says von Meister. “The next day we were touring the space and by the end of the week we were applying to rent it.”
Their friend, Chas MacBain, of Muse Design / Build, completed the buildout and created signage, display cases and the checkout counter designed by von Meister. Once keys to the storefront were in hand, it took roughly four weeks to renovate and set up the space for opening day.
Environmentally conscious swag by The Nest. Photo by Tess Lyons
The shop, though smaller than the Providence location, includes two changing rooms, racks of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories and a display case showcasing wear care items like Tide sticks, fabric shavers and lint rollers.
There’s also more intentionality in choosing inventory due to the limited space. True vintage, Y2K and designer pieces are offered. The atmosphere of the shop is bright yet cozy, with each clothing rack and tier accessible to shoppers.
“Our design concept was your dream walk-in closet,” says von Meister. “We just wanted it to feel open and airy.”
Sustainable fashion is a standout quality of any secondhand clothing store, but what really makes The Nest different is its drive to help others maintain the clothing they already have in their closets. At the Providence location, the shop’s calendar is full of monthly events, including sewing classes, clothing swaps and knitting accountability groups.
They eventually want to hold similar events at the Newport location.
“If you’re not looking to buy secondhand clothes, then you can instead come learn how to sew with us and make your own clothes, you can use our tailoring services or come to our clothing swaps and get fifty new garments and trade with community,” says Sturm.
Wear care items displayed on the shelf von Meister designed. Photo by Tess Lyons
“We have such a wide range of service offerings that there’s something for everyone.”
Von Meister, who attended high school in Newport, knows the city’s fashion and shopping scene well and thinks The Nest will thrive in its new location.
“A lot of the shopping down here is very summer-tourist-oriented and catered toward one type of person,” says von Meister. “We’re really excited to be a clothing option for locals here year-round.”
The Nest plans to celebrate the month of May as plus-size month, with events like plus-size clothing swaps, bin sales and educational workshops.
Von Meister and Sturm are already thinking about adding a third shop, keeping their eyes on the East Side of Providence. While the shop’s footprint may be growing, Providence will always be The Nest’s home base.
“We just want to thank everyone in Providence because we had a dream and a vision and they’ve all supported us and helped us push this farther than we could have hoped,” says Sturm. “We can’t wait to have some of our first customers from Providence experience what we’ve built here in Newport.” thenestpvd.com
