Courtesy of Garrett Kemp and Luke Lognion
“The only supply chain issue we’ll face is if there is a wreck on the bridge,” said Luke Lognion, co-owner with his husband Garrett Kemp of Downtown Baton Rouge’s newest treasure-trove, Brass by Circa 1857. “That’s the great thing about sourcing everything locally.”
Owners of the Mid City antique mecca The Market at Circa 1857, Lognion and Kemp signed the lease on the former Big Squeezy space on North Boulevard in October and have been busy getting the new gift shop up and running in time for the holidays.
[Read Jordan LaHaye Fontenot's 2019 story about Circa 1857's revitalization by Kemp here.]
Kemp explained that while some of the eclectic furniture and décor signature of Circa 1857 will be featured in the Downtown space, “Brass is going to focus mostly on locally-made gifts and souvenirs for tourists and residents alike.” Some of the featured products include mixed media pieces for the home by Denise Cone of Meraki Handmade Goods, pottery by Therese Knowles, and mixed media collages by Jessica Roy of madeNEW studio.
“We felt that there was a hole in the market Downtown that we could fill,” said Kemp. “We are pretty excited to branch out, and also to try and bridge the two communities and have some overlap there.”
Influential figures in Mid City’s creative community as hosts of the monthly Mid City Makers Market, Lognion and Kemp are eager to offer a permanent space for local artists to feature their work, especially in a part of town that is lacking in retail options.
“We felt that there was a hole in the market Downtown that we could fill,” said Kemp. “We are pretty excited to branch out, and also to try and bridge the two communities and have some overlap there.” Lognion noted that while the couple is new to business in the downtown area, they actually live in Spanish Town. “So, we are familiar with the area, and we are excited to finally have a business there as well.”
With an official opening date of December 1, Brass will also celebrate a grand opening celebration on Saturday, December 4—as well as a “soft opening” in conjunction with the downtown Festival of Lights on December 3.
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