Local shop Alice & Amelia all started back at the Freret Street Market about a decade ago.
JoAnne Casey, who was at the time an insurance adjustor with New Orleans pride and a creative streak, decided to set up a booth selling T-shirts with a screen-printed logo she designed. It read “NOLA Girl State of Mind.”
It was meant to appeal to both a blend of visitors and tourists, as well as women like herself who are older than 50.
“It took off at the market,” she says.
After repeatedly depleting her inventory, Casey seized the opportunity to quit her day job and open a storefront on Magazine Street near Napoleon Avenue as soon as one became available in 2015.
Game day apparel
She named the shop Alice & Amelia after her two granddaughters, and since then has expanded her inventory way beyond T-shirts. Today, the shop is filled with men’s and women’s clothing, local art, accessories, books, games, kitchen items, gifts for babies and young children and more.
“I’m always looking” for new items,” Casey says.
When she selects inventory, she says she looks for items that are as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing. She also works directly with more than 20 local artists and vendors, whose works are available at the shop.
In selecting apparel, “I think about pockets,” she says. “I think about fabric that’s good for this climate, I’m looking at organic cotton and linen.”
That attitude is also reflected in the home goods available at Alice & Amelia. Think cheese boards, dinnerware, potholders, mugs and more.
“I don’t want tchotchkes,” she says. “I want things that have a purpose to them.”
Alice & Amelia sells jewelry that is appealing to a younger crowd, including students from the nearby Tulane and Loyola universities, Casey says.
The shop also has a section for pets, which reflects Casey’s passion for animal rescue. In 2018, she founded NOLA Dogs Race to the Rescue 5K, which will be held Oct. 13. She also launched a nonprofit called NOLA Girl Charitable Giving, which donates to causes that support animals, women and children.
Alice & Amelia carries light jackets for fall and Lulu B skorts, among other popular clothing items.
Giving back to those in need is “integral to who we are and what we do,” she says.
Talking Shop with Alice & Amelia owner JoAnne Casey
Gambit: How would you describe your shop?
JoAnne Casey: It’s well curated with unique items. And at reasonable prices.
Gambit: What are some of your favorite items in stock for September?
JC: We have new earrings, little stadium purses, and small purses that fit your phone and come with two different straps so you can dress them up or down. We also have Lulu B linen jackets and skorts…I have ladies saying that they’ve driven all the way to St. Louis for these. And we have practical backpacks that are designed well and don’t hurt your back.
Gambit: What are the advantages of supporting small businesses like yours?
JC: Developing relationships with people. When you buy (from small shops) you’re keeping money in your own community. It’s better for jobs, it’s better for neighbors. Local shopping boosts the community. I donate to causes that support my customers as much as they support me. It’s a two-way street.
Alice & Amelia is located at 4432 Magazine St. and can be reached at 504-502-6206 or at shopaliceandamelia.com.
This article appears in Gambit's September issue of Details.