Bittersweet Farewell For Longtime Owner Of D.NOLO
Veronica Clark didn’t expect it to be quite this emotional as she finalizes the details of closing D.NOLO and moving to New York. For the past year, she’s been traveling back and forth to Manhattan since her longtime partner moved out there.
“He moved to New York for work purposes,” she said. “That really is the driving factor here.”
But since word started spreading through the neighborhood, she’s learned just how important her retail collaborative has been.
“I am overwhelmed by the response I am getting from people,” she said. “I didn’t think it would be as emotional as it is, but I’m feeling very blessed also.”
D.NOLO opened in October of 2013 when there were very few other retailers in the neighborhood. Her concept was to have a group of small businesses in one place that would complement each other. Requisite and Jaxen Grey, which now have their own North Loop storefronts, got their starts inside D.NOLO.
“I feel like it was wildly successful,” Clark said. “I’ve had some really great partnerships. And because of that, I’m starting other collaborations in other places.”
She already has a deal to collaborate with a shop in Greenwich Village, The Grey Pearl. She will bring apparel and accessories to the shop, which currently features home goods.
And in 2025, she will join forces with the owner of Clubhouse 366, a women’s clothing store in Excelsior.
“So I’ll have a small foot in the door here in Minnesota still,” she said. “I’m just really grateful to have been a part of the North Loop community. It has been so fun to watch it grow.”
D.NOLO officially closes on October 1st.
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer