New Kid on the Block: Coco + Mischa Boutique Settles into Decatur

At a time when fast consumerism and mass-produced fashion seems to dominate our lives, shop owner Melissa (Mischa) Gallagher offers an appealing alternative with her new brick and mortar boutique, Coco + Mischa. While it is almost impossible to ignore the substantial ARLO apartment complex that has been erected just across the way from Agnes Scott College’s front gates, many may have missed the quiet opening of the little retail store that has tucked itself into the new storefronts on E. Trinity Pl. 

Opened for just over 8 months, Coco + Mischa fits in perfectly with the trendy shops that have become a hallmark of Decatur’s bustling square. It’s carefully curated goods have been selected with the people of Decatur — and their wallets — in mind. The store’s modern surfaces are laden with unique accessories, home goods and gifts, accompanied by hand-picked racks of vintage styles and silhouettes.

After opening up a pop-up shop with her sister, Christie (Coco) LeClair, in November of 2015, the pair became inspired to open up a more permanent space. In the months following, the concept for Coco + Mischa expanded, and so, too, did Christie’s family. After giving birth to triplets, Christie has taken a step back from the store, becoming a silent partner and allowing Melissa to embrace the challenge of the new store head-on. Even though LeClair is unable to be as actively involved in the store as they had planned, it seems almost inevitable that the sisters will work together in the future; growing up, the two conceived countless business models that they hoped might someday become a reality. “We’ve always been best friends,” she said. “I think working together was definitely a natural move.”

To Melissa, who sees Decatur as her community, it only seemed natural to open up the store close to home. The distinctive community allows her to run her business as a unique brand, giving her the freedom to create a unique personality for herself and the store. The flexible environment allows her the comfort to do things such as post politically charged social media posts or close the store for the Women’s March in January.

When choosing what to sell in her store, Melissa looks beyond the tag, searching for goods that are handmade, locally sourced, and ethically produced. In her preparation for the store opening, she found herself living her dream — spending thousands of dollars on clothes, art, jewelry, and whatever else struck her fancy. At first, she said, the feeling was thrilling, but it wasn’t long before she came to realize the real value of her new role as a local shop owner.

“I started to become very, very aware of the fact that I was spending thousands of dollars. I mean thousands. of thousands, of thousands of dollars — and it’s crazy when you start spending like that to realize that, like, ‘oh, it really makes an impact’. Like when you buy a single shirt from H+M, you’re not really thinking about the impact of that $12, but when I was spending so much, I started to realize that my dollars count.”

Gallagher likes the idea that when customers walk into her store, they may not even realize that almost all of the wares are ethically made and bought. Most of the goods in Coco + Mischa are crafted by local Atlantan makers or small American businesses, including Salt Lake City-based Arvo, a minimalist watch company with a community-based mission. Also notable are the Atlantan “power jewelry” makers at Fossil & Hide and the Cali native Urban Apothecary.

Gallagher feels at home in her current space, but ongoing construction across the street impedes foot traffic and, in turn, drastically harms her business. While the city is doing their part to try to direct people to her side of town, she has had to shift her long-term goals for the store as the construction is projected to last at least six more months. “I believe this side of town is going to be great once the construction eases up,” she said. While she hopes that she is able to stay in her current location, Gallagher remains open to the idea that she may have to relocate if the problem remains.

“I believe that this side of town is gonna be great once the construction eases up, she said. “Hopefully the weather will be nice and the sun will shine and then everybody will start walking this way.”

• artisan
• atlanta
• decatur
• ethics
• handmade
• shop small
• slow fashion
• small business
• sustainable