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Local couple behind Club Duquette, a boutique in Woodlawn, featured in The New York Times
Put “‘Southern’ Is Not a Style,” by New York Times writer Michael Venutolo-Mantovani on your reading list, Birmingham. The article highlights the style and community-minded spirit of Duquette and Morgan Johnston, owners of Club Duquette in Woodlawn.
Club Duquette opened in 2016, offering the Johnstons’ T-shirt designs, along with the label Taylor Stitch and items from designer friends. They’ve been a staple in this corner of Birmingham ever since.
Beyond bringing great style—including an awesome selection of Levi’s—to Woodlawn, the couple gives back by hosting community fundraisers. For instance, the Instagram post below features a July 2018 fundraiser for Girls Rock Birmingham. The event provided scholarships for three young girls to attend a music camp.
Thank you, Woodlawn
After the New York Times article came out on April 3, the Johnstons extended their thanks to the community via the boutique’s Instagram.
“Our community in Woodlawn is so important to us,” they wrote. “And we would like to clarify that while Birmingham’s historic Woodlawn neighborhood has only recently become a destination for new retail experiences, it has always had a vibrant community and identity.
“We moved to East Lake a decade ago and started working in Woodlawn because it was close to home and as working artists, it’s what we could afford when we took a chance starting Club Duquette with $3,000 cash that a friend loaned us.
Duquette and Morgan Johnston via Instagram
“We are endlessly grateful to the community for accepting us and inviting us to become a part of what’s new and happening.”
Where to Find Club Duquette
If you haven’t visited the boutique yet, do yourself a favor. Go to lunch at Woodlawn Cycle Cafe, then head around the corner to Club Duquette to peruse. Find the store at 17 55th Place S, Birmingham, Alabama 35212.
It’s also just down the street from REV Birmingham’s SocialVenture, a co-working and meeting space, as well as the Woodlawn Foundation, which focuses on breaking the cycle of poverty in Woodlawn and creating a sustainable community.
The New York Times article also featured another Alabama brand—Florence-based designer Billy Reid. The Billy Reid brand has expanded its stores to major cities, including New York, Chicago and Charleston, South Carolina, among others. Next stop for Billy Reid? A storefront in Birmingham’s thriving Pepper Place community.
