Curating connection: Umber Shoppe offers community and creativity in retail

For Umber Shoppe owner Carolina Gonzalez Hammock, running a store is not just about curating an inventory, but a community, too.

Her store, located near Utica Avenue and Third Street, offers a unique mix of clothing, home decor, accessories and a plethora of vintage items hand-picked by Gonzalez Hammock herself.

Umber Shoppe also hosts events and workshops — like candle making classes, sound baths, pop-up markets — which Gonzalez Hammock says are part of an effort to create an experience for customers that extends beyond just shopping by also providing a platform for other small business owners and artists to expand their reach.

“For me, it’s not just about the shopping — it’s about the community, the collaboration and creating an experience,” Gonzalez Hammock says. “I really want people to feel something when they walk in the door.”

Gonzalez Hammock started Umber Shoppe in June 2021. While she has found success in her day job in the oil and gas industry, she wanted to find balance between her analytical/corporate position with a creative outlet and a way to share her lifelong love of all things vintage with the world.

Deciding to take a chance and invest in her dream, Gonzalez Hammock — who had no prior retail experience — moved into her space, renovated it and filled it with her carefully curated vintage collection within just one month. Now, in addition to vintage, she sells items from all over the world and has her own clothing line in production.

“I saw a gap in size inclusivity and the styles of clothes that were available, so I’m excited to create a small collection that’s super inclusive,” she says.

In an age where the online retail industry continues to grow, Gonzalez Hammock says she’s continually proud of her choice to open a brick-and-mortar store.

“My favorite part of my weekend is opening the store in the morning and welcoming people in,” Gonzalez Hammock says. “Talking to my customers and making connections — that’s what I’m after.”