14 Women-Owned Shops Shifting the Home and Design Space in America

You don’t have to be a certified shopping expert to understand that no retail experience would be possible without the humans running the whole operation. When you choose to support a small business, your purchase is making an even bigger impact on the lives of the people behind them. So often shop owners go uncredited for their labor of love at the expense of staying humble and focused on the grind. We know that with a great eye comes even greater responsibility and want to celebrate some of the women who have been on our radar.

These 13 design retailers are bringing new life and meaning to homes across the U.S. with their covetable vintage finds and impeccably diverse discoveries. (While we’ve compiled lists of the best home decor shops in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and the Pacific Northwest, there are so many other regions in America worth exploring.) Get to know some of the tastemakers behind a few of our favorite women-owned businesses in the home and design space before your next big cross-country road trip.

Located on Philadelphia’s South Fourth Street, Yowie has become the ultimate design destination for individuals with eclectic taste. Established in 2016 by Shannon Maldonado, the brick-and-mortar store is stocked with a curated selection of ceramics, textiles, and apparel from independent designers of diverse backgrounds. In 2022, fans will be able to get an even more immersive Yowie experience with its planned hotel expansion. shopyowie.com

As an illustrator, designer, and decorator, Laura Weiszer is a very visual person. Since launching Betsu Studio in 2017⁠—first as an Etsy shop, then a rental service for events and productions, and now a retail store in Philadelphia—she’s had a mission to “share the shit that makes me happy, like objects that make the pupils in my eyes dilate and spaces that make the mouth of my soul water,” she writes on her website. Stepping into the retro showroom is like entering a hidden portal full of curated vintage and modern design pieces like laminate credenzas from the ’80s, Milo Baughman chrome sofas, framed Hilma Af Klint art prints, and Art Deco dining chairs. betsustudio.com