Today we’d like to introduce you to Cutter Chisnell.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Heard the Store was founded in 2021. We started as a pop-up vendor in Staunton, as well as traveling to other parts of VA. As our brand grew, we had the opportunity to have a permanent place with Redwood Candle Co, here in downtown Staunton, while continuing with popups. An opportunity arose to have our own storefront here in town, which we jumped on immediately. Our home became 103 S Coalter St, residing beside our friends at The Shack, our restaurant owned by Chef Ian Boden, a multiple James Beard nominee and headed by Chef Michael Skipper. The restaurant focuses on handmade pastas, seasonal offerings (mostly sourced by the farms in the surrounding areas), as well as a thoughtful wine program. The decision made a lot of sense, as owners Jeffrey Placide and Cutter Chisnell are both fomrer service industry folks, serving BOH and FOH, respectively. The name Heard derives from that time spent in restaurants, and served as a double meaning prior to having our own space: you had to hear about it to know about it. After a year and a half on Coalter, we had another opportunity in a new space and from that we created Heard & Friends: a vintage and second clothing & apparel store that doubles as a social space for community events. We host concerts, comedy shows, fundraising events, open mics, and community outreach functions. We hit a year here at 16 S New St. back in May.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
With any business, everything has a learning curve, and we are still working to become better, everyday.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We specialize in the curation of unique, rare and eclectic clothing & apparel items. While we have a bit of everything in our store, our main focus are the stylings of Americana, sporting items, rare band tees and both femme and masculine items that are made to last. We are set apart by our ability to host events for the community to attend in such a curated space. We also boast our local artists, we our walls are covered in local art. We strive to be a community stronghold, that anyone can feel comfortable in. The clothes tell a story, but so do our customers. We happily attach our brand to anything in the name of inclusivity.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Shoutout the fellas at Throwing Fits podcast. Shoutout Luke’s NYC/LA. Shoutout the barbershop. Shoutout the service industry. Shoutout Rumors Boutique (RVA). Shoutout Waynesboro, VA. All of these things made us who we are.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://heardthestore.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heardthestore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heardthestore
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeardTheStore
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@heardthestore
