Patrick Leclair got his start in visual merchandising working for Club Monaco in New York City. Now, he’s running a successful store in Fayetteville that delights customers with carefully curated displays and locally sourced products.
With family in town, a decision to move down south and an opportunity to set up shop in Fayetteville, Leclair found himself establishing his business in the historic Haymount District seven and a half years ago.
“I always had a love for the antique and vintage items and how to utilize those to create a store atmosphere that was inspirational…So, when I decided to put the 18 years of experience to use for my own ideas on my own store, it sort of made sense that I would have a similar idea of having core products be surrounded by antique and vintage decor,” shared Leclair.
Leclair’s business model; however, includes a twist. Every item in the store is for sale. All props and displays are also available for purchase, and as items are sold and new items come in, the design of the shop changes.
“So a big part of my business model is continuously buying collections of art, books and antiques and having enough items on hand that when we get those big purchases from customers, you would never know that we sold something that was sort of a foundational piece of the environment because we always have a way of fixing that section really quickly. Which then has become kind of our calling card…Everybody always walks in and the first thing they always say is ‘Wow, it looks different,’” added Leclair.
From locally sourced coffee, craft beer and wine to candles, art prints and antiques, customers can count on a unique assortment of goods that they won’t find in any average store.
With their shop functioning as a “creative lab,” Leclair’s is beginning to extend their store design services to other businesses looking to recreate their interior. Recently, Leclair’s helped redesign the interior for Southern Pines based business R. Riveter. The business, which manufactures and sells handbags and totes, was looking to shake up their display and Leclair’s was able to add a bit of flavor that is similar to what they do in their own store while maintaining the aesthetics and branding of R. Riveter.
Leclair shared that they have also done home staging for the real estate market on occasion, bringing unique and interesting pieces to an interior that make for great photos.
As the business continues to grow and bring new creative minds aboard the team, community members can expect a vibrant, engaging environment when they step inside Leclair’s General Store.
Located at 1212 Fort Bragg Rd. in Fayetteville, Leclair’s is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To keep up with Leclair’s evolving array of unique goods, check out their Facebook page.
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