Specialties
Deco is a lively, colorful and unique gift shop downtown Raleigh, just over a block from the Capitol. We feature the work of more than 50 local artisans, including jewelry, prints, pottery, cards, chocolate and the very best Raleigh and NC t-shirts. Our shop is walkable, eclectic, smart and interactive. Our focus is on offering great products and excellent service to downtown workers, residents and visitors.
In addition to our artisans' products, we have literally thousands of cool products including: more than 500 greeting card designs, quirky home and garden decor, hilarious books, sumptuous soaps and candles, fair trade handmade gifts, beautiful paper and stationery, barware, unique gifts for babies and kids, scarves, phone accessories, tableware, posters and... well, you'll just have to see for yourself. Our store is ever-changing, making each visit unique and fun!
Come visit us on Salisbury Street in downtown Raleigh!
History
Established in 2012.
Deco Raleigh has been brewing in the mind of owner, Pam Blondin, for a long, long time. After moving to Raleigh in 1993, she and her husband, John, started looking for downtown shopping districts like they had grown up with in Washington DC and Madison, WI. Alas, the Belk was boarded up, and Fayetteville Street was less-than-vibrant.
Fast forward a few decades...restaurants, businesses, bars, and small retail storefronts speckle downtown. Raleigh is really taking off. But where is that "go-to" gift shop with a wide variety of goods and cards? Still not within walking distance for tens of thousands of downtown workers and residents.
With the encouragement of some extraordinary and entrepreneurial friends, Pam decided to build the kind of store she had been wishing for: quirky, artsy, colorful, affordable, and truly unique to Raleigh. And, based on customer feedback, she wasn't the only one wishing for this kind of store.
Meet the Business Owner: Pam B.
Pam has lived in Raleigh for more than 20 years. Including her four years at Davidson, she's closing in on half her life as a resident of NC. She opened Deco Raleigh with no experience in retail but with a 30-year career in non-profit management under her belt... a career that culminated when she left Komen for the Cure in 2012. Philanthropy is a big part of Deco Raleigh, which has supported more than a dozen charities since opening.
An organizer and convener from way back, Pam wanted to contribute to the extraordinary renaissance in downtown Raleigh. At the same time, she wanted to use her business expertise and indulge her creative brain that is constantly in overdrive. Deco Raleigh was born.
Pam's husband John is head of the Physics Department at NCSU, and their three kids have grown up, gone to school and worked in downtown Raleigh. They live in Oakwood and spend most of their time downtown.