I didn't plan to start a store at first, I just never stopped buying things I thought should be treasured.
My friend Morgan and I used to spend whole afternoons at thrift stores, back in middle school and high school. It was never really about the stuff. It was about trying on the weird sweater to make each other laugh, finding the perfect pair of skinny jeans (it's been a while), and bringing home something we were so excited to use or wear.
That feeling followed me. To the antique stores I'd wander with my mom and grandma, to the flea markets I combed for records to use as wall art in my college dorm (in this photo), picking up records and wall decor. And eventually, to the estate sales my husband and I spent our early years together exploring, building our first home one find at a time.
It followed me across the world, too. I love Paris — truly. But if I'm honest, what excites me most about being there isn't the Eiffel Tower. It's the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen just north of the city.
I live for the thrill of that hunt — and the people who join me in it. But I also know it takes time and a lot of vision to find the truly good stuff.
The thing is, not everyone can spend a Saturday digging through estate sales or spend weeks researching which Paris arrondissement hides the best finds then hop on a flight. It takes years to develop the eye that finds a treasure in (let's be honest) what can be a sea of junk. And even longer to find the patience. I've trained for years to train both my discernment and time around a career to make time for this - finding beautiful things and sharing them.
That's why I started Chez Cloutier. To curate so others might imagine the seasons and memories these items carried before. To help make your home feel more collected, personal, campy, unexpected, refined, and special.
Welcome to Chez Cloutier.