By Holly Burnett
The first time I visited Maggie Jane’s to interview proprietor Coddy Eyre, I became so enthralled with her shop that I failed to ask her any questions and left my notes on a shelf. I did try on several of her handmade necklaces and purchased two. Needless to say, Maggie Jane’s is a shopper’s dream, offering a stunning collection of vintage French urban chic items that, in many instances, Coddy has found and repurposed.
The shop, named after her mother, Maggie, and daughter, Jane, harkens back to the days when she and her daughter would spend hours in her mother’s basement looking through the newest treasures her mother had found since their last visit. Coddy definitely inherited her mother’s great eye for gorgeous jewelry and upscale designer furniture and accessories. Without question, she is one of Old Town’s best “American Pickers,” and can transform an antique piece of furniture with good bones into a showpiece, utilizing her natural intuition and Ce Ce Caldwell Chalk and Clay Paints, of which she is the only local distributor.
So it is no wonder that Coddy is also a surgical nurse, utilizing her precise and steady hands on patients as well as creating beautiful jewelry and furnishings from vintage remnants. She is also the exclusive distributor of the Jean Baptiste bath and body fragrance line as well as Wild Thymes Farm sauces and chutneys, among others.
Her two-story shop, including a garden area off the first floor, is a myriad of unique discoveries, from vintage headboards to antique magnifying glasses. Maggie Jane’s has something for everyone, and her prices are beyond reasonable. She also offers furniture repurposing classes using Ce Ce Caldwell paints in addition to decorating and styling services upon request.
Do not pass up the opportunity to visit Maggie Jane’s and meet Coddy Eyre. It is an experience that you will treasure. As we walked outside for her to show me a sleigh wreath she had made, Coddy grabbed a Christmas tablecloth to wrap around her shoulders, warding off the cold. Well, it looked great, again displaying her innate style and taste. She’s the only person I know who could get away with wearing a tablecloth and have no one know – the best holiday shopping experience in Old Town Alexandria – without question.
Maggie Jane’s is located at 114 South Royal Street in Alexandria. Telephone 703/706-0411 or 571/643-8293, or visit maggiejane4u.com, for further information and hours of operation.
___________________________________________________________________________
