One year ago, we opened Patina Home & Garden in Leiper’s Fork, TN, and what a wonderful year it has been!
We first visited this magical town 7 years ago. As we drove down to the quaint main street surrounded by rolling hills & flowing creeks, we immediately knew it was something special.
The only thing that topped the beautiful surroundings were the people. Every shop we entered, we were greeted with a smile and a welcoming warmth that made us feel at home.
Year after year, we continued to visit, spending the days stopping in the shops or sitting by Leiper’s Creek, and listening to live music and chatting with locals at Fox and Locke.
After each exploration, we felt a stronger and stronger pull to move our lives here
Finally, in 2021, we decided to take the leap of faith to purchase what is now Patina Meadow, a 100 acre piece of land located 10 minutes from the town we had grown to love so much. As we were deep into planning our move, we received a call from Aubrey & Michelle Preston, the owners of a very special building in the center of town. The previous tenant was going to close her shop, and they were wondering if we would like to open one up in its place.
Steve and I looked at each other with both excitement and trepidation. We were in the midst of making the biggest move of our life, could we really add this to our plate? And then we thought of the community that made us fall in love with Leiper’s Fork in the first place. We knew we wanted to be a part of it in some way, and what better way than opening a shop on the main street.
And so, perhaps naively, we said yes, and added the transformation of the space into Patina Home and Garden to our to-do list. The building itself is from the 1800s, serving first as the general store, then a post office, and more recently, two beloved antique stores.
No matter the items it housed, it was always a gathering space for our new home town. We knew we wanted to maintain its history, but we also wanted to build upon it.
We let our love of community, nature, and history guide our dreams, and in October of last year, we opened our doors for the first time.
This last year in our shop has exceeded our wildest dreams.
Like I stated before, the main motivation for this shop was community, and I can say for certain that this has been my favorite part of this last year.
So many incredible people, from near and far, have entered our shop through our creaky door. Some to grab home goods, provisions, or skincare for themselves and their family...
others to take a slow moment to sit on the leather sofas in our Picker’s Corner to strum a tune or take a moment to flip through one of our many books.
We’ve also hosted classes, book signings, and other events that have allowed us to share our love of design, nature, and community with all of you.
Whether you have visited us one, or a dozen times, thank you so much. This last year would not have been possible without you.
And we know that this is just the beginning! Recently, Hanks Coffee Station opened up the Pit Stop at Patina, an adorable coffee cart in our courtyard, adding another space where we can all gather together, this time with delicious coffee and pastries.
We look forward to hosting more classes and events at our shop, and starting next spring, at our farm, in the Shed at Patina Meadow.
Our curriculum will range from pottery to foraging, all with the intent of bringing all of us closer to nature and the abundance it provides. Speaking of nature and its abundance next year, our Patina Farm Shop will be filled with fresh organically grown produce & flowers from Patina Meadow, grown by our daughter, Leila.
Even if you haven’t had a chance to visit our shop yet, thank you for supporting us here and on social media. Steve, Leila, and I feel so lucky to have such a supportive community both in person and online.
As a celebration of one year of Patina Home and Garden, we will be adding a free Patina Home and Garden Tote to all online orders of $100 or more, so head over to our shop and pick out some items to help you design a life you love.
Thank you again for all of your support. We are so grateful to be on this journey with you!
Xx
Brooke
Your cute village is on my list to visit next year....and an added bonus will be The Shed opening up. Love your blog, the animals and your 'quiet' calm it brings me. And also dreams of the hill of Tennessee. Congratulations on your 1st year! Everything is so beautiful!
When you first talked about leaving Patina Farm I thought what courage! I had so admired your fairytale surroundings and your wonderful animal companions! To start again from scratch in a new part of the country and a new climate ...what a challenge! But as always you have made this new beginning into another magical home for your family, all your animal companions, and community. I thank you for sharing your home and lives with us and hope to someday visit and maybe take a class and see personally what you have created. Congratulations on your first anniversary! 👏 Wishing you many more! ❤️🫏🐖🐂🐑🐔🪿🪶🍂
Loved, loved, loved visiting your store last week! It was even more beautiful in person! So enjoyed the music from the guys in Picker’s Corner while we shopped. Hoping to attend a class at your farm one day. What a treat that would be!
Quelle fabuleuse histoire Brooke! Félicitations pour cette première année….je suis admirative de votre énergie! mener de front une nouvelle maison sur 40 hectares de terrain (!) et un magasin….j’aimerais beaucoup venir un jour vous rencontrer dans ce charmant village…je ne suis jamais venue aux États Unis.
Hi Brooke, Steve & Leila, So happy you are here! We are enjoying your lovely shop and cannot wait for Leila’s you pick to open up 🌸