SHOP
Retro Modern founder Kelly Wohlgenant in her Hargett Street store.
NEW VINTAGE Retro Modern offers a mix of refurbished and handmade goods with a Mid-century twist by AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE
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n a busy stretch of Dawson Street, just off the the northwest corner of Nash Square, is the peppy storefront for Retro Modern Furnishings. It fits right in to the rest of the the building— the marigold-and-cobalt Hue apartments—and inside you’ll find a mix of goods: refurbished vintage finds, local accessories and upholstered pieces with a bent towards Mid-century modern style. The brand kicked off five years ago, when founder Kelly Wohlgenant decided to turn a passion for refurbishing furniture into a full-time job. Wohlgenant has a background in 60 | WALTER
photography by EAMON QUEENEY industrial design, but had been working as a social scientist and policy analyst for many years. “I really missed design work, and fortunately my husband had a stable job. So we had a conversation about it and I started doing this full-time.” The company started small: Wohlgenant would scour thrift stores and flea markets for Mid-century pieces, then rehab them herself at home. She’d sell her wares on Etsy and in popup markets, and over time, more and more people were asking for a storefront to browse her goods. She began with a tiny studio on Saint Mary’s Street, then applied to a grant program for downtown retail shops three years ago, which allowed
