MAKING MAGIC

AKINGMMagicUptown’s Hazelnut is filled with clever gifts, colorful wares and holiday camaraderie.

By SHELBY SIMON Photos by JOSHUA BRASTED

“Together, we are magic,” says Hazelnut co-owner Katy Danos of co-owners Bryan Batt and Tom Cianfichi. Their store is more than just a business to the trio: it is a creative outlet and a labor of love for their community.

Batt and Danos became friends while attending Tulane University. After graduating, both moved to New York City to pursue successful careers in creative fields — Batt in acting, and Danos in design and writing.

Batt and Cianfichi met while acting in a show in Akron, Ohio, when they were 26 years old and have been a couple ever since. But New Orleans beckoned them back home, and the friends opened Hazelnut in 2003. “It is a rare thing to work this well with dear friends or a spouse,” says Danos.

Their shop offers a colorful experience of wares, including focal pieces for the home, artwork and gifts. Danos describes the products as a blend of elegant, traditional, new and witty, with a focus on cleverness and a sense of humor. 2020 marks the 18th holiday season for Hazelnut, a time which the team — who the co-owners affectionately refer to as “The Nuts” or “Hazelnutters” — looks forward to for the heightened sense of camaraderie.

“I’m still like a kid when it comes to Christmas,” Batt says. “I love decorating, celebrating — but my favorite is finding the perfect gift. For me, it truly is better to give than receive.”

Batt frequently can be found wrapping gifts in the shop around the holiday season, and at least one of the co-owners can be found in the store at all times.

Danos says she hopes customers enjoy visiting the shop in person, stopping to

Owners say they choose a blend of elegant, traditional, new and witty products.

Co-owners Tom Cianfichi, Katy Danos and Bryan Batt have known each other for years.

AKINGMMagic

The store has gifts that are both trendy and traditional.

Hazelnut offers shoppers a colorful experience, with a dose of whimsy and humor.

say hello to the store’s pups, Pip and Daisy. “We take the responsibility seriously to be a bright spot for our community,” she says. “We have broadened our assortment of note cards, paper napkins… items that are inexpensive but cheer us all up.”

Cianfichi echoes Danos’ sentiment. “For us, [shopping] is a form of entertainment — and now, while people’s entertainment options are limited, I feel the need more than ever to keep Hazelnut as stimulating as possible. I want it to be a visual treat and to give our shoppers a little mental vacation.”

The trio is adamant about not keeping score of who does what administrative tasks in the shop, though they all have their specialties.

Cianfichi focuses on much of the nuts and bolts: accounting, licenses and business development. He is also the final word on the shop’s visuals — Danos credits him as the best visual merchandiser in New Orleans. Meanwhile, she loves the buying process, and Batt works on social media and public relations.

They have all collaborated on designing products for the store, such as the New Orleans Toile print and exclusive items including decoupage trays and Radko ornaments.

While all three co-owners are strong stylists and tabletop designers, Batt and Cianfichi love to dress the windows.

“We bring unique skills to the table but at the end of the day, we decide and do everything together,” says Danos. “We have such enormous respect for one another’s talents, and we are determined to create a creative space that is rewarding for all three of us.”

Outside of work, Hazelnut’s co-owners pursue their other interests and passions freely. “Tom, Katy, and I are kind of the three Musketeers,” says Batt.

“Although we are connected by Hazelnut, we truly enjoy our friendship and support each other in other pursuits. Tom is a great director [including at Loyola University and at Le Petit Theatre], Katy is a wonderful writer, and I still enjoy acting.” (Ed. Note: Danos is also the editor of Adore magazine, which is published by Gambit’s parent company, Capital City Press.)

At the end of the day, all three are proud to call New Orleans home. “We want Hazelnut to stand for something,” Danos says. “For us, that means lots of creative pursuits within the community and beyond.”

“Magazine Street is a treasure,” Cianfichi says. “Very few cities anymore have such a vibrant shopping district driven by locally owned businesses. We are so lucky.”

For more information: 5525 Magazine St., 504-891-2424; hazelnutneworleans.com