ABOUT US

"Hi there! Dee Dee and Chloe here for those of you that don’t know us. We are co-owners of Gray.

We started Gray summer of 2015. I, Chloe, had recently graduated from college. Unsure what the next stage of my life looked like, I began exploring ideas. Dee Dee, my mother, was previously in the wholesale industry before taking time off to raise my older brother and myself. With her youngest graduated from college, she was eager to do something for herself and create.

We began exploring the idea of starting something together. We had done small projects previously and knew we worked well together. We work seamlessly since we both naturally gravitate towards different parts of the process. 

While still just a seed of a dream, Dee Dee randomly got a call from her brother about a commercial space in Excelsior for lease, which is also where I grew up. We felt this was a strong sign considering we had told no one we were even considering opening a shop. It took a while to nail down the lease, but this was great for us. We were able to explore stores and artists all over the world through traveling and Instagram to help solidify our aesthetic, values, and concept. 

We knew we liked the idea of a lifestyle store with a little bit of everything. But what would make us different than big box stores? Finding small artists and brands from all over the world was going to be our niche. 

The following September we opened our doors quietly and spent the next three years in that space- growing, learning, and meeting wonderful people. 

We are now in our new location, located just a block away at 264 Water Street. We absolutely love our new space and are incredibly happy with the move. We were able to design our space from a gutted shell into something that reflects who we are as Gray. 

If you’ve been following along with us, we appreciate every single one of you. You all are why we do this and why we are still here today. And if you’re just joining us, welcome. We hope that you feel inspired."