Shop Local

by Rina Rapuano

Zip It Good

When the early days of the pandemic revealed an urgent need for masks, Arlington resident Karina Gaull did what many across the globe did: She dug out her old sewing machine, watched a few tutorials on YouTube and got to work making masks—in this case, for a local initiative dubbed the Million Mask Challenge.

“I got hooked because I love working with my hands,” says Gaull, who moved to the States with her husband in 2001 after the couple met and married in her native Brazil. “The minute I could sew a straight line, I said, ‘I think I can make more things with this machine.’ ”

She started with a project that’s considered a good jumping-off point for newbie sewers—zipper pouches. As a former graphic designer who has also dabbled in jewelry design and calls herself a “professional hobbyist,” she was familiar with the language of colors and patterns. Only the medium was different.

“The next thing I knew, I had at least 80 zipper pouches stacking up,” says Gaull, whose repertoire now includes wallets, wristlets, totes and makeup bags. “It was just so natural to me to be able to work in different media… but to still implement my passion for colors and textures and prints. It was like a light bulb moment.”

Gaull mainly makes custom bags and pouches for those who reach out to her through Instagram or via her website. Clients select a pattern and a primary fabric, and she takes it from there, often adding her own personal stamp to a piece by incorporating a whimsical beaded zipper pull or hand stitching. Prices range from $18 for a coin purse to $100 for her largest tote.

The most popular item is the $45 minimalist wallet. “Every woman needs a bag that fits at least her phone,” says Gaull. “It has a zipper pocket for coins and whatever. It has space for your cards. I added a wrist strap, too, so it’s kind of allin-one. If you just want to go to the grocery store and not carry a big bag, you can put that on your wrist and you’re good to go. Very practical.” karinagaull.com

Sarah Allen

Home Sweet Home

Sarah Allen, the newest owner of The Urban Farmhouse in Arlington’s Bluemont neighborhood, likes to joke that she comes “from a long line of very serious shoppers.” In addition to having a mother who adores shopping, Allen has some legitimate ties to the profession.

“My sister was a buyer in New York at big department stores,” says the former lawyer, who refreshed and reopened the shop at the end of January. “My step-grandmother owned a boutique in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, when I was little, and I used to love going in there. So I’ve always just wanted to own a shop.”

Last October, that dream finally came within reach when the store’s prior owner, June Tait, announced she was moving to Richmond and selling the beloved boutique located below Covet. Allen considered changing the name—but then realized The Urban Farmhouse was already so close to her vision that doing so seemed unnecessary.

“I’ve always thought of opening a home and gift shop, which is what this is, so I don’t think it would have been terribly different,” says the new proprietor, who lives about 2 miles from the store.

She is making a few inventory tweaks, though. Customers can expect more home décor items, such as throw pillows, rugs and blankets; and she’s leaning on her husband to try and beef up what they call the “dude section,” with things like barware in an effort to attract more male clientele. Plus, the general vibe will now skew in the direction of Allen’s personal style, which she calls classic, functional and “sort of Scandinavian coastal.”

Items range from $1 bumblebee stickers to vintage furniture pieces in the hundreds of dollars. Allen says she aims to keep prices fair and accessible.

“I do think our furniture is priced very well,” she says. “I think that’s part of why people love us. We’re not selling $5,000 antiques. We’re selling well-loved, vintage pieces that will work in any family’s home.”

Allen understands that loyal fans might worry about losing the essence of what made the place special before, but she says the dynamism from seasonality, local artisans and the owner’s perspective is what makes boutique shopping interesting.

“They’re small businesses, so they’re unique,” she says. “You’re going to find things there that you’re not going to find in the big-box shops or even in downtown Clarendon.” theurbanfarmhousestore.com