Let the Light In: A New Chapter for Asher + Rye in Savannah

There’s something so symbolic about flicking a light on. It’s a nod to action, a beginning, a symbol of a thriving business. Or, in our case, it’s a little bit of all three.

A few weeks ago, we did it: We turned a new light on. And now it’s time to let you in on the big, basket-lit secret.

Asher + Rye has a new home, and we couldn’t be more excited to share the news. It’s bigger. It’s better. It’s definitely pinker. And we can’t wait for you to take a look at everything we’ve been working on.

But before we open the doors and invite you in, we want to tell you the story of how it all came to be.  

More often than not, there’s a horse and buggy at the corner of Whitaker and Jones, a testament to the beauty of what some would call the most beautiful street in the world.

And for many years, there was also a gas station and a “For Sale” sign. We first noticed it when we moved into a row house just down the cobblestone street almost two decades ago, and we bookmarked it in the back of our minds as a “One Day ” kind of plan. Because this gas station had fine bones—the kind of bones that are strong enough to bring into modernity without rebuilding. And, so typical of Savannah, there was a history and a lifestyle worth preserving in it.

On top of that, it was also part of Savannah’s Downtown Design District—a unique crosshatch of streets between the North end of Forsyth and Jones where creators, designers, artists, and shoppers all mingled. The area was built for this—for commerce, for rest, for relaxation—and weaving through its oak-lined streets has always been a place where you could take a moment and admire the beauty, or pause and gather your thoughts. We wanted to be a part of it, not just as neighbors, but as business owners.

And that’s when we made the biggest leap we’d ever considered and turned on a light in a very strange, very bewildering year. It’s exactly what we needed.  

At the new Asher + Rye, you’ll see more than a beautiful building remodeled into our signature Scandinavian style, new products, and a little place to stop for goodies on the way home. You’ll see a space that we created specifically to fit this community—a corner store to stop for the best candles in town, an area for rest, to shelter from the rain, to gather over a quick bite. And on top of it all, we bring promises of togetherness with our community, with each other, and with ourselves.

In this new space, we’re going to be encouraging picnics, with chairs that fold out, blankets and large beach towels. We’ll be convincing you to take the outdoors in with a garden center that takes a nod from our city, it’s European roots, and the green, leafy parks we adore. And most of all, we’ll be inviting you to share—share the coastal, sandy beaches with your family, share a housewarming gift with friends, or share the delight of an afternoon walk with yourself, after all is quiet, and there is nothing but the warmth of the afternoon golden sun. Because if there’s anything we need going into the new year, it’s the promise that we’re all here, we’re all in this together, and we’re better when we connect deeply with the place we call home.

And to that, we toast: To new years, to new beginnings, and to the new lights at the corner of Whitaker and Jones. Our windows are tall, our walls wide, and our doors are open, and we’re excited for you to be a part of our next journey, and the new home for Asher + Rye.

We’ll see you there.

- Erika & Joel