Shop Local: Heirloom House
Newly Opened in the heart of the Historic Cooper-Young District, Heirloom House is bringing a burst of whimsy and charm to the neighborhood.
Newly Opened in the heart of the Historic Cooper-Young District, Heirloom House is bringing a burst of whimsy and charm to the neighborhood.
What originally started as a pop-up at Art By Design in 2024 has quickly grown into a beautiful antiques boutique, where every corner is filled with vintage treasures, playful art, and timeless pieces that tell a story.
Founded by artist and muralist Dorothy Collier and Southern lifestyle tastemaker Alice Kerley, Heirloom House is more than just a place to shop, it’s an experience. With a shared love for design and storytelling, this creative duo has curated a collection of timeless pieces that feel fresh and inspiring, yet carry the kind of history that makes them worth passing down from generation to generation. In addition to the shop, they also have an adjacent art gallery that’s perfect for intimate exhibition openings, book signings, dinner parties and more.
I recently stopped by the boutique to capture a few photos and chat with Dorothy and Alice about their vision, their inspirations, and the heart behind Heirloom House.
I recently stopped by the boutique to capture a few photos and chat with Dorothy and Alice about their vision, their inspirations, and the heart behind Heirloom House.
How long has Heirloom House been open/in business?
Heirloom House made its official debut last November as a holiday pop-up in Saddle Creek and it’s been such a joy to share our love of vintage with so many Memphians. In just a short time, we’ve watched the brand grow and expand - from our first pop-up, to four months at Chickasaw Oaks, to now finding our forever home in the heart of Midtown. Our new space at the corner of Cooper & Central is a historic building with deep Memphis roots, and we couldn’t imagine a better place to grow!
How did you two come together for Heirloom House?
The two of us have known each other for years now and have children close in age. We bonded over our separate vintage-selling side hustles and shared love of all things stylish, whimsy & grandmillennial!
Why Cooper-Young for this location?
Cooper-Young feels like the perfect “home” for Heirloom House. It’s a vibrant, walkable neighborhood that’s beloved by locals and visitors alike. It also feels special that our historic corner at 2129 Central has been welcoming Memphians since 1909! Once an Italian grocery with the family living upstairs, it has since housed various vintage and antique shops, so it feels serendipitous that Heirloom House is now carrying on that tradition too.
Beyond the history, this location is nearly triple the size of our last shop, which means more room for fabulous vintage finds and space to expand our vision. We’re especially excited about the addition of a gallery and event space where we can host art shows, classes and gatherings that bring the community together.
Icing on the cake is that we are both Midtowners too - already frequenting our favorites in Cooper-Young as often as we can. It has us over the moon to think of Heirloom House as a new destination for girlfriends to visit & shop after a Beauty Shop brunch or before a happy hour at many of Cooper-Young’s hotspots.
What inspired the concept of Heirloom House?
Both Dorothy and I come from multi-generational families of antique lovers and sellers. Her grandmother owned a shop in Franklin, TN and several members of my family have had booths in Memphis throughout the years. We each found ourselves selling vintage in our own ways, but when we teamed up for a weekend pop-up with Arts Memphis (Art By Design), we realized how much bigger this idea could be! That event’s success gave us the spark to create Heirloom House as a full brand and destination.
From the start, we wanted it to be more than just a shop. We love gathering with friends for mahjong, book clubs, craft nights and other “grandmillennial” hobbies. You name it, we’d gather for it. We wanted Heirloom House to capture that same spirit of connection and the joy of gathering but on a larger scale. Today, we’re just as excited to offer shoppers a beautiful vintage lamp or set of linens as we are to host them for a needlepoint workshop or a floral arranging class. To us, an heirloom can be anything you treasure: whether it’s a porcelain vase, a brass puppy figurine or even the first canvas you learned to stitch at one of our events.
What do you feel sets Heirloom House apart from other local antique shops?
What makes Heirloom House special is that it’s not only a vintage and antique shop, it’s also an art gallery and a community gathering space. Our calendar is filled with rotating art shows, workshops and events like needlepoint classes, floral design, and themed mahjong nights. Each visit to the shop feels fresh, because the events are always evolving and the vintage pieces are constantly changing. We’re thrilled to have created a space where you can discover something beautiful for your home and connect with people who share your passions too.
What’s your favorite part of owning Heirloom House?
We love being able to connect with our community and spark joy through vintage. Our finds are so special & unique and when individual shoppers fall in love with what often are these one of a kind type of pieces - the stories they tell us about what drew them to the item or where they plan to style the piece in their own home makes everything we do feel that much more rewarding.
Any fun upcoming events or programming we should know about?
Absolutely! On Sept. 30, we’ll have an Intermediate Needlepoint Class for those ready to level up their skills with a more intricate Magnolia design. Event sign-ups are live on our website.
October is especially exciting: our Mahjong Masquerade with Mahjong Merriment takes place on Oct. 23 (fancy dress encouraged!).
Then in early November, we’ll debut The Heirloom House Holiday Collection—think: where nostalgia meets Noël! This festive series will include our Vintage Holiday Market, a gallery showcase of local artists, and a lineup of whimsical holiday workshops designed to spark creativity and make the season feel extra magical. Plus, it makes the perfect opportunity to shop local, thoughtful and artful holiday gifts.
Beyond that, shoppers can look forward to seasonal workshops throughout the year: cookie decorating, wreath making, tablescape styling, floral arranging and more.
How can people shop with you/keep up with what’s happening with Heirloom House?
We share our latest finds and event updates daily on Instagram at @shopheirloomhouse. Or stop by in person, we love welcoming new friends! Grab a Werther’s candy, say hello and make yourself at home. Our house is your house.
Heirloom House
2129 Central Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday: 11am-5pm
Sunday - Monday: Closed
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