SHOPPE TALKS: Third Places
As part of our Winter 2026 Shoppe Talks series, our host Julie Vadnal sat down with industry experts Nick Ozemba, Beverly Nguyen, and Brenna Gilbert to chat about creating retail experiences that go beyond shopping. With insights from their own brick-and-mortar stores, our panelists share their top tips for curating a shop that inspires community, conversation, and connection.
Featuring:
Nick Ozemba of Quarters & In Common With
Beverly Nguyen of BEVERLY1975
Brenna Gilbert of Feste and Champers Social Club
Hosted By:
Architectural Digest’s Julie Vadnal
“It’s not so much about trying to sell something or encourage a specific lifestyle. The aesthetic of the store is showcasing imagination.”
— Beverly Nguyen
“We talk about third space like it’s a modern concept, but in many ways it’s what retail originally was.”
— Brenna Gilbert
“We didn’t want to create a white-box showroom. We wanted to create a bar, an apartment—somewhere that people actually could live and experience things.”
— Nick Ozemba
“The best brands in the world are experiential. They're naturally driven to service. That's when people connect with you in that real way. It’s about experience beyond transaction.”
— Brenna Gilbert
“People are actually dying for comfort and connection and storytelling, not just big-box, chain, invested retail.”
— Beverly Nguyen
“There’s a voyeuristic quality to it, the same as visiting a house museum—you can imagine living there.”
— Nick Ozemba
“How can we take some of the norms of things that feel very exclusive and unkind and make them feel really welcoming?”
— Brenna Gilbert
“The one thing that always comes together is just sharing the space and holding the space to listen to what people are going through.”
— Beverly Nguyen
“Sure, we need to sell some things, but I think you sell things by telling stories.”
— Nick Ozemba
NEXT MONTH:
SHOPPE OBJECT TOWN HALL:
Industry Insights At Home & Abroad featuring Shoppe Object Founder & President Jesse James and WSN CEO Frédéric Maus