Hudson Grace Officially Opens New Store On Greenwich Avenue

GREENWICH, CT — Hudson Grace, the home decor brand which began in San Francisco 10 years ago, officially opened its first Connecticut location in Greenwich on Friday at 268 Greenwich Ave.

The company features a carefully curated collection of modern serveware, dinnerware, glassware, flatware, linens candles and entertaining essentials, all perfect to make any home feel like home.

Founders and best friends Monelle Totah and Gary McNatton began looking for a storefront location in Greenwich before the COVID-19 pandemic. They eventually found the 1,100-square-foot space earlier this year.

"We're extremely excited," McNatton said of the opening. "We've wanted to be here for years. Finding the right location was a challenge, but we found this space and it was meant to be."

This marks the 10th store for Hudson Grace, which was aquired by Crate & Barrel in 2019. The closest store is on Bleecker Street in Manhattan, and in Sag Harbor, Long Island.

"All of our stores are in neighborhoods, and we want to be that store around the corner that if you suddenly need glasses for a dinner party, or if you need dinner napkins, [we're here]," Totah said. "It's approachable, it's available and we want to be that neighborhood place."

Offerings at Hudson Grace are mostly curated from Europe. Other items, like napkins, candles and ceramics, are made in the U.S. especially for the company.

Totah said the juxtaposition between McNatton and herself is reflected in the brand. She says McNatton has a clean, modern taste, compared to her collector mentality and her love for things like hotel and antique silver.

According to their website, McNatton has three decades of experience in design and production in personal care, fine fragrance, home product and package design. He spent eight years as a senior vice president at Gap Inc., and helped design fragrances for the retail giant.

An exclusive fragrance, called Greenwich, is available at the Greenwich Avenue location. The scent in reminiscent of fresh cut grass and gardenia blooming on a summer day, McNatton said.

Totah has years of retail experience in home and tabletop product development for Williams-Sonoma and Banana Republic.

While the two were working with Banana Home, they vowed to open up their own store one day. The first Hudson Grace opened in 2012 in Presidio Heights section of San Francisco, Calif.

"Mo and I are entertainers. We love to entertain people at our homes. It's a store based on the things we personally use, love and need to entertain graciously," McNatton added.

Totah recited her golden rule.

"If he wants it in his home and I want it in my home, then it's going to sell," she said.

For example, the duo discovered unique a lamp at a flea market in Paris, which they turned into a candelabra and now sell at their stores.

McNatton said customer service is important to the brand, and that Hudson Grace tries to establish relationships with everyone that comes into the store.

"We think of ourselves as an intimate brand, because there's a very personal relationship with every customer we meet," McNatton said. "This is a very intimate, personal relationship we have here."

Hudson Grace offers gift cards and has a wedding registry. They're also looking to hire more employees for the new store.

The Greenwich Avenue store is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, visit the Hudson Grace website.