Roots and Relic

Roots and Relic

Lisa Patrick

The Ashland Beacon

Brittany Jiles has always loved thrifting. She started shopping at Goodwill with her best friend while they were still in high school, "back when Goodwill was still cheap." She is now taking that "love of thrifting and finding treasures" to the next level by opening her own shop in Flatwoods, which she has named Roots and Relic.

Jiles has been a massage therapist for the past 20 years, but she is looking for a change of direction. While she will continue working as a massage therapist, she plans to go into private practice and reduce her hours to part-time so she can devote herself to thrifting full time.

Roots and Relic will not just be a thrift store; it will also serve as a vendor and consignment shop. There will definitely be "a good collection of my own stuff," and shoppers will find everything from quarter-priced items to boutique merchandise—including upscale clothing, jewelry, household goods, and miscellaneous treasures. She has partnered with her aunt and uncle in the business and says, "I have more yard sale items, while they have more boutique-type items."

The vendors are "all local people trying to showcase their craft." They will offer a wide variety of items for sale. One vendor will specialize in vintage antiques that fit the "cottagecore" or "grandmacore" aesthetic, featuring pieces from the 1980s and 1990s. Another vendor creates and sells jewelry, embroidery, bows, and upcycled vintage clothing, transforming vintage pieces into something more modern. Another vendor makes candle melts and car air fresheners. One will offer baked goods, and Jiles is also hoping to add a gluten-free baker. Another vendor is a woodcarver who creates ornamental pipes, peace pipes, and other works of art using wood from branches of local trees.

Right now, Roots and Relic is accepting consignment items and seasonal clothing, but Jiles warns that she will be very selective. She wants only clean items with no snags, tears, or holes, and she prefers high-quality merchandise. She wants her thrift store to be clean and well organized, so she reserves the right to decline items that do not meet her standards. Consignment terms are 60/40 if the consignor prices the items and 50/50 if the store sets the prices.

Jiles' cousin, Hannah Fowler, had this to say about the new store: "Roots and Relic will offer a unique shopping experience featuring local makers, small businesses, homemade goods, vintage finds, antiques, home décor, collectibles, and one-of-a-kind items." The goal of Roots and Relic is to "create a welcoming space that supports local entrepreneurs while giving shoppers a place to discover something special." As a locally owned business, Roots and Relic is "excited to invest in our community and provide opportunities for local artisans, collectors, and small business owners to reach new customers."

The grand opening for Roots and Relic will be Friday, July 3, at 1911 Argillite Road in Flatwoods, Kentucky. Throughout the day, there will be giveaways featuring small gift items from some of the store's vendors.