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Browse. Linger. Buy. Repeat. How The Art of Simple Became the 30-A Store You Cannot Help But Love b y M i c h a e l J . P a l l e r i n o
previous visit. They become our friends and we enjoy making them happy.” As the Granberrys freely admit, the journey to get their customers to experience that type of euphoria does not come without a price. In a retail game where presentation is ev- erything, the presentation at The Art of Simple is anything but simple. “The layout and place- ment of the shop is another story,” Michael says. “That takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. When you enter the store, everything you see has been thought out, and then tweaked, turned, stacked, and unstacked until we can step away.” And yet, even in the selection, merchandising, and sometimes remerchandising of every single product a customer buys, there is a story worth sharing. For example, because there are items that Laura and Michael may love more than the other, when and where it is sold can become a bit of contest—even among the staff. “Everyone loves getting involved and keeping us posted on whose item is more popular,” Laura says. In the end, when beachgoers hit the shopping and relaxing part of the trip, The Art of Simple is designed to add a few more memories into the experience. “We are fortunate to have a shop located in a resort area, so we get to meet people from all walks of life and all parts of the country,” Laura says. “And the bonus is they are on vacation, so they have time to slow down and enjoy the beach life.” It’s that simple, really. 5 Central Square, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459, (850) 231-6748, theartofsimpleonline.com, Facebook: @ lovetheartofsimple, Instagram: @theartofsimple, Pinterest: pinterest.com/theartofsimple/_saved
Our customers like to take their time and wander throughout; some even stop in the shop every day to discover another find that they had not seen on a previous visit.
W hiskey glasses featuring skull and crossbones that scream, “Pick Your Poison”. Hemp-sewn flasks. A small, invitingly curious mix of sea- shells. Bath fuzzies. Scores of candles. If you’re looking for something your mind has not quite said you want, chances are The Art of Simple has it. Laura and Michael Granberry promise that is by design. Their retail shops, The Art of Simple,—with locations in Santa Rosa Beach and Seaside—are filled with an eclectic mix of curiosities and necessities such as apothecary, tabletop, home decor, gifts, fine art, and everything and anything two creatively driven minds with backgrounds in graphic design and photography can fathom. The method to their diverse product selection mad- ness is, well, rather simple. In 2003, looking to open a retail shop that mirrored their creative and entrepreneur- ial spirits, the Granberrys settled on an interior design shop in Grayton Beach. Over the years, morphing from a shop to a gallery and back again, The Art of Simple was born. “Laura and I both have an eye for aesthetics,” Mi- chael says. “We both also enjoy the hunt for pieces that
speak to us. Add a little crazy, optimism, and our vision to share these finds with others; and somehow a shop was formed.” Browse. Linger. Be inspired. The internal joke among the Granberrys is that The Art of Simple has nothing you need, but everything you want. Every single item in the store is there to inspire customers to buy something that makes them feel a certain way when they see it in the moment. “I guess that’s why it is the perfect gift shop,” Laura says. “We try not to overthink things. We use our gut instincts. That is the joy of finding the items we select. It is like magic when we walk into a crowded showroom full of merchandise and we both go straight to the same object.” The true secret behind their beachside retail retreat is that you can visit over and over again and never see the same item twice. It is a retail experience that one customer reviewed as being “full of fun, unique and sassy items that tickle your fancy”. The strategy is that simple, Laura admits. “Our customers like to take their time and wander throughout; some even stop in the shop every day to discover another find that they had not seen on a
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