Press - want to see what the world has been saying about Stifel and Capra?!
Want to know ALL of the happenings on FIRSTFriday? Find details on retail, art and restaurant specials by visiting http://www.firstfridayoffallschurch.com
Stifel and Capra Resident Artists bring home the Honors - Jane McElvany Coonce (Best Oil), Cathy Summers (Best Photography), and Sandi Parker (Best in Show) Fabulous five winners of Capital View juried art exhibit October 3, 2012 Examiner
Theresa Wells Stifel is featured in the Examinar "Theresa Wells Stifel, art with stitches" September 6, 2012
Want to hear what the Falls Church Patch is saying about Little City Studios?! Spotlight on Little City Studios and Gallery May 27, 2012
And we made the Weekend's Best Bets in the Falls Church Patch - Weekends Best Bets in Falls Church May 25, 2012
Fairfax News Press Article: Stifel & Capra Celebrates 4th Birthday
Stifel & Capra Celebrates 4th Birthday
Wednesday, July 27 2011 06:06:00 PM
Stifel & Capra celebrated its fourth year in business last Thursday
with a special one-day sale and event that included birthday cake and free
gifts.
Over 150 local patrons and out-of-town guests gathered to toast both arists
and artisans alike. Pictured above, Theresa Wells Stifel, owner of Stifel & Capra
slices the birthday cake to serve during the celebration. (Photo: Courtesy
Theresa Wells Stifel)
January 13, 2011 Falls Church Patch Article
Stifel & Capra Paves The Way For Local Artist Community
Shop for original art and vintage treasures at this artistic hotspot
By Monica Boland
It’s a wonderful life for unique shop Stifel & Capra – quite literally. Owner Theresa Stifel named it with director Frank Capra of “It’s a Wonderful Life” in mind. Even the tagline reads, “Art & ornament for your wonderful life.”
Stifel’s choice of title was spot on. The shop has become an artistic hotspot for City of Falls Church residents and local art enthusiasts alike. “It’s a fall in love kind of place,” Stifel said. “There’s always something new to see and someone new to meet. It’s changing constantly.”
Stifel & Capra is home to local artists selling their original works in working art studios with gallery-style displays. Stifel described the shop as the art gallery for people who are scared of art galleries. “It’s the fun un-gallery,” she said. “It really is. It’s for people who think art galleries are stuffy or inaccessible. That’s not us."
The shop also offers an eclectic mix of vintage items, most of which were made 25 to 75 years ago and are still in great condition. “I don’t like to see waste in the world,” Stifel said. “If you don’t take advantage of the beauty and practicality of these pieces, they will go into the trash heap. It’s a matter of good stewardship, plus they’re really pretty.”
The shabby chic feel of the shop combined with the sense of community created by the artists gives Stifel & Capra it’s appeal. “Everything is just so unique or handmade and it’s for people that don’t want to see themselves coming and going while walking through the mall,” Stifel said. “It’s not a mall experience. We try to learn people’s names. We try to learn what people like. It’s shopping like it was 60 years ago.”
Stifel & Capra first opened its doors across the street from the City of Falls Church farmers market on July 2, 2007. Earlier that year, Stifel’s husband Bob became critically ill and she realized being a stay-at-home mom and an artist on the side wasn’t in the cards. She had worked as a recruiter for 20 years and also had some experience in commercial sales and business development. She decided to utilize her combined work experience by selling her art and her neighbors’ art.
Her first art and ornament gallery consisted of the Walnut Hills Artist Group, formed by Stifel and some of her artist neighbors who were all looking to expand their art careers and support the local art community. Business boomed the first year and the shop continued to expand.
Stifel said that the primary reason the shop appealed to a certain segment of the marketplace is the same reason that people were going to the farmers market across the street: to see the local production of things. “It’s a think globally, act locally attitude and it’s en vogue,” Stifel said.
In March 2009, Stifel tripled the shop’s space by moving into their current location at 260 W. Broad St. and the doors opened for business a month later. The shop owner said business has been better than ever, some of which she attributes to the popular FIRSTfriday events. On the first Friday of each month, the shop features a different artist or artisan and extends an open invitation to the local community from 5 – 8pm.
“It’s like having a party every month,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s a great time to meet people. I’m a firm believer that the more people that see your work, the more people that will come to see you, too.”
Stifel said she tries to mix up the art, from traditional to contemporary and somewhere in between. “I like the fact that some of our artists have been at it for 40 years and have awards and have been around the block and for others it might be their first space and it’s exciting,” she said. “They’re in different stages of their careers and they’re all very talented.”
Fine artist Angela Williams moved into her studio space in June 2009. “I was immediately taken with the fun, vintage atmosphere of the shop and the talented resident artists,” Williams said. “I love creating in the second floor studios but I also love working and browsing in the shop. It feeds my creativity to see the constant flow of unique merchandise, new and old. I always find items that inspire my art and my wardrobe.”
Jewelry designer and metalsmith Christine Bartoletta of Society Hill Designs
has showcased her artisan and vintage collections in Stifel & Capra
for almost two years. “Having a studio here has really changed how
I work,” Bartoletta said. “When I worked from home, I found
myself easily distracted, quick to procrastinate and often isolated. The
energy here is so positive and inspiring. It is a gift to be surrounded
by so many talented and kind female artists. And, I've never laughed so
much in my life. We really have fun here. I feel like a kid again.”
April 23, 2009 "Off the Beaten Path" shopping column in the Washington Post features New to You, Quinn's Auction House, Stifel & Capra, Bedo's, Penzy's Spices and Hole in the Wall Books. Off the Beaten Path
"Off the Beaten Path: Falls Church
Sorry Falls Church. Route 7, which you lovingly call Broad Street, has traditionally
served as a means for me to get from Alexandria to Tysons Corner. I've failed
to check out the cute little shops and restaurants that line your busy,
narrow corridor, some of which has a speed limit of a mere 25 miles per
hour. I finally stopped the other day and walked by your shops. Here's what
I found:
New to You, a small shop that calls itself the "Chic Boutique," is a women's consignment store at 108 West Broad St. The shop owner says the store capitalizes on expensive buying mistakes made by women, selling high-end pieces that were bought with the best of intentions but never made it off the hanger. The store is very selective about what it accepts, limiting its labels to designers like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and styles from the last year or two. It also accepts vintage clothes from the 1960s and earlier. And even then not everything gets on a New to You rack. The store only wants interesting and unique pieces, a standard that draws clothing from all over the country. Much of the clothing has original price tags with discounts of 35 percent to nearly 70 percent.
Falls Church's Broad Street and its side streets are also chock full of galleries and art dealers that sell local work, as well as art from all over. There's Quinn's Auction House at 431 North Maple Ave. The place has an auction every Wednesday night selling everything from antique furniture to jewelry and watches. Stifel & Capra, an art and ornament gallery at 260 West Broad, features local artists even with some of their own studios on site. Think of a miniature version of Alexandria's Torpedo Factory.
Bedo's Leatherworks at 412 West Broad is not exactly a shopping destination but an interesting business. The store will do just about anything that needs to be done to repair shoes, handbags and anything else made out of leather, as well as dry clean your clothes. The business, which looks like an old country store from the outside, was started in 1977 by Bedros Doudaklian, who immigrated from Lebanon. The store has been passed down to his son, who expanded the shop to include luggage repair and other related services. The store offers a "recrafting" service where an old pair of shoes could look new again with new soles and heels and other updates.
Broad Street is also home to Penzys Spices, a national chain of spice stores started in Wisconsin. It's hard to imagine that a whole store could be filled with spices but Penzys, located at 513 West Broad St., has everything from Honduran allspice and freeze-dried bell peppers to several different types of extracts and Turkish oregano.
Also check out Hole in the Wall Books, a small house at 905 West Broad filled from top to bottom with used books.
So where do you shop when you go to Falls Church? What are some other off-the-beaten-path shopping spots?"
By Tania Anderson | April 23, 2009; 12:00 AM ET Off the Beaten Path
April 15, 2009 - Stifel & Capra has been nominated for a 2009 NICHE Top Retailer Award in the category of Best Guild Store! Stifel and Capra was also nominated in the Top Retailer category.
Sponsored by Niche Magazine, the NICHE Top Retailer Awards honor the nation’s best craft retailers, arts nonprofits, museums and guilds for growing and strengthening the American and Canadian craft community. The program annually recognizes 24 retailers and gallery owners as “Top Retailers”, names one “Retailer of the Year”, and gives awards in 10 special categories.
March 2009 - New To You Blog Post
Stifel & Capra
Stifel and Capra has the coolest concept and delivery of a shop. Not only
is in the glorious historic white house that graces Broad Street just
one block away from us at New to You, but Theresa has polished and painted
the grand dame so she looks lovely and light. There is a fun variety of jewelry, vintage clothing and bric-a-brack; as
well as some beautiful paintings and photographs from local artists.
Liz and I popped over to say hello and low and behold we both found something we just had to have. I purchased a lovely green necklace for my daughter and Liz bought some fab turquoise dishes for her retro kitchen.
As always, a small town can bring all sorts of delightful talents together
to titillate the taste of various shoppers.
We understand that there will also be some workshop classes to be taught
as well as an artists' studio upstairs.
Congratulations and job well done.
You can find Stifel & Capra at 260 West Broad Street, Falls Church,
Va 22046
703 407 0770 www.stifelandcapra.com
Falls Church News Press - Business News and Notes 12/24/2008
Washington Post "Making It" Column 12/14/2008
Fairfax Times - Artists Helping Others Art Show
Press Release - Artists Helping Others Art Show
2008 Artists Helping Others Catalogue
Testimonials
"Your work is magnificent! Wow! You are so talented"
Gayle P. Woodbridge, VA
"Stifel and Capra pillows are absolutely beautiful and of great quality.
I have nine of them in my family room and every single guest comments on them.
For my last order, Theresa made a couple extra pillows so I could choose just
what I wanted -- they were all gorgeous and I couldn't decide so I took them all!"
Paula P.B
"The baby pillow is so lovely, instead of being displayed in my daughter's
room, we have it front and center on the living room sofa! Thank you again!"
Mary C. Alexandria, VA
“Thank you so much for the beautiful pillow…with her announcement and picture on
it, it is a wonderful keepsake!”
Wendy H., Falls Church, VA
“Lovely Work!” ---Robyn L. Falls Church, VA
"So far Theresa has custom-made four pillows for my living room and
even my very choosy husband really likes them. Best of all, they have held
up well around my two small children! Theresa also has made five pillows
for me to give as gifts for family and friends this Christmas. They make
unique, affordable presents, and I love that Theresa can transfer personal
photos right into the pillow fabric. She takes such care to make sure you
are truly happy with the fabrics and stitching styles -- and she is such
fun to work with. I've already recommended her to several friends."
Kristin C., Falls Church VA
"The door hanger was a huge hit at the shower! Thanks! "
Carolyn B.
"The [retirement] pillow was a HUGE success. Thank you"
Evelyn C.
"Just wanted to thank you for sewing the GORGEOUS pillows for me! It's nice to have 2 pillowcases to match the bedspread [you made]. And the pillow you made from my sister's fabric is better than I imagined. You are very talented. Best regards."
Julie H. Falls Church, VA