Butter Home, a woman-owned brick-and-mortar store known for its unique and functional products, is relocating from Melrose Market to Chophouse Row on 11th and Pike. The new location is just a 13 minute walk, eight blocks away.

Claire Corley opened Butter Home 12 years ago. She says that her background in retail and her husband’s small business experience made the process of opening her own store less daunting.

“I really wanted to find a way to connect artists and independent makers with the community,” Corley said.

Butter Home shifted and flowed into available space over its 12 years at Melrose Market, an indoor food and retail market on Capitol Hill’s west side. They occupied two different spaces within the market for six years each. The first location was a small loft and according to Corley, they did not have the experience to know what they needed to succeed in the space.

Things are more clear now. According to Corley, the opportunity for Butter Home to move into the new location at Chophouse Row arose during COVID, as the previous tenant, florist shop Marigold & Mint, had permanently closed. This allowed Butter Home to design and build the space with their specific needs in mind.

“The company that is doing the buildout for the space, Vertical Ledge, they’ve made kind of modular birch popup pieces for retail people that do pop ups, and they’re launching a line for retail stores, and this is going to be kind of a beta project for them,” said Corley.

Corley said her shop’s move is actually good news for Melrose Market. As it recovers from the pandemic with formerly vacant retail spaces being filled, Butter Home no longer had access to the additional space they needed.

“Our lease is up currently, so we knew we wanted to find a place with more space. Also, we love Chophouse and we love Liz Dunn (the original developer of Melrose Market and Chophouse Row), so we wanted to go back to a community-driven space,” Corley said, who said that renting to small businesses is very locally focused and driven. Corley also brought up her appreciation for Dunn’s local events, many of which are arts-focused.

Butter Home’s last day at their space on Melrose Market is January 31st, with plans of being open in the new space by March 1st.

Before leaving Melrose Market, Butter Home is offering significant sales. Currently, all products are discounted by at least 25%, and Corley plans to further increase the sale as the store’s final day at Melrose approaches. Butter Home’s product offerings include hand-printed paper goods, household items, unique items such as a fried egg candle holder, handmade jewelry, and more.

“We try to source independently, and from small makers as much as possible,” Corley said. “We try to really promote people within the community.”

Butter Home stocks products from 80 different artists, many with local ties. Corley prioritizes sustainability and craftsmanship in selecting the products sold in the store. As they move to the new location, Butter Home plans to bring in new artists while also continuing to work with those they’ve carried for years. These artists create a variety of products including prints and jewelry. Corley personally recommends jewelry from Baleen, a best seller, and Knuckle Kiss, a local brand that creates geometric-inspired pieces on Capitol Hill.

While pregnant, Corley was unable to find candles that used essential oils instead of harmful ingredients. To fill this gap, her husband, who also works at the store, began making candles for her and for the store. Corley particularly likes the pomelo mint and lavender scents, but the best-seller is the fir scent, with lemon being another popular choice.

In keeping with Butter Home’s emphasis on showcasing local artists, a 12 ft x 9 ft mural featuring native plants and floral botanicals will be featured on one of the walls. The mural will be created by Sarah Robbins, a Seattle-based illustrator, painter, and designer known for her murals, including a delicate pink floral piece along Pine.

Corley is excited about the move to Chophouse Row and the energy of the community there.

“I think it’ll be a really great space for us. There’s a ton of creative people, and there’s a community space that is really cool to be able to be a part of,” Corley said. “We’re hoping to kind of fit in as a good neighbor, and as people eat and drink and go to events, we hope to just fit in with that.”

Butter Home will open in Chophouse Row at 1424 11th Ave in March. Learn more and shop online at butterhomeseattle.com.

HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.

Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for as little as $5 a month.