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'My mission is for people to surround themselves with furniture, lights, and rugs that make them happy,” says Karen Fuqua, owner of the Brentwood home goods store Maxi B. Home, which opened in November. Named for her 86-year-old mother, Maxine, the shop came late in life for Fuqua, who has already raised her children, become a grandmother, and spent years pouring herself into mentoring others.
'I wanted [my mother] to know how much I appreciated all she taught me without even knowing she was teaching me,” says Fuqua.
The store opened with the goal of being a fresh, colorful, and happy place to find unique, affordable home goods. All of Fuqua's merchandisefrom candles and funky cocktail napkins to bohemian patterned melamine dishware and farmhouse-meets-glitz lighting fixtureswere sourced from the Dallas area. 'I am good friends with several boutique owners here,” she says. 'So when I was opening Maxi B's, I wanted to carry items no one else carried. I think [sourcing from] the Dallas market helped with that.”
Of equal importance was Fuqua's price point. She targets customers in the 30 to 60 age range and chooses items that are 100 percent cotton, washable, and able to handle the wear and tear that comes with living.
'I have a passion for wanting people to have what they desire,” she says. 'And if it's more affordable, that makes it easier.”
Both Fuqua and store manager Kim O'Neal are pleased with Maxi B's initial success and the feedback they've been hearing from customers. 'People just love it,” says O'Neal. 'I can't tell you how many times they have told me that the store makes them happy.”
7030 Executive Center Dr., Ste. 106, Brentwood; 615-942-5015