Bordering the refurbished riverfront in Owensboro, Ky., Simply Chic Home Accents brings a new taste to town. Debi Ford, the store’s owner, was working with Aleris Rolled Products in Lewisport, Ky., when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. “As a 6 ½-year survivor, I felt like I had to do something I loved,” she says. “I found the building in February and opened my dream on June 1.” With 18-foot ceilings, brick walls, and a historic downtown aesthetic, Simply Chic brings something different to Owensboro.
Boasting a wide selection of products — from furniture and home accents to pots and designer art — Ford makes sure Simply Chic meets the needs of her customers. “We carry things that aren’t commonly found in this area,” she says. “We have Stonewall Kitchen products, Kinloch Plantation pecan oil, Milkhouse Creamery candles, Catstudio state towels and pillows, and quality Dash and Albert rugs.”
Taking trips to AmericasMart in Atlanta, to shop for retailers and vendors whose products fit her store’s artistic niche, Ford plans to go to market in New York and Highpoint in North Carolina to bring a variety of quality products to her store.
What makes her space even more unique is its local ties. “Since we’ve opened, I’ve been meeting new people and have found a lot of talent in town,” Ford says. “We have handmade furniture from Owensboro, art from Ferdinand, Ind., and Michele Hartung’s Stargazer Pottery. It thrills me as much as the artists and craftsmen to showcase local pieces.” Entering into its first holiday season, Ford is excited to decorate and stock Simply Chic with seasonal goods.
Her husband, Frank, an Englishman, recently started working in New York. Ford often finds herself split between their homes in London, New York, and Kentucky. “Though we are not always together, I probably talk to my husband more than most married couples do,” she says. “His voice is the first and last thing I hear each day, even with occasional time differences.” Fortunately, Ford has plenty of help from her daughters with the store — Ashley, 29, Sara, 22, and Bailey, 17.
With November being Lung Cancer Awareness Month, she is thankful for pursuing her dream of bringing something different to her Owensboro home. “Being a survivor is in itself kind of a miracle,” she says. “After I got sick, I never thought I’d be able to do something I love so much.”
Stop by Simply Chic Home Accents at 101A W. 3rd St., Owensboro, Ky., or find them on Facebook. 270-683-6333.
