Kimberly House, Pleasantville
South African native Hendrien Dewhurst has taken a cause that is near and dear to her heart and brought it closer to home.
Kimberly House, a unique new store in Pleasantville, carries a wide variety of merchandise, including bedding and baby clothing, luxurious creams and lotions, essential oils, perfumes and a line of home décor products, many produced through the growing fair trade movement.
The shop at 45 Washington Ave., which had been the home of Try & Buy toy store for more than 40 years, opened in July. It has been transformed into a bright and open space, with an emphasis on colorful products from Africa.
“I wanted to open a locally-based store with a focus on our various products to test out the market and to see if there would be enough interest,” said Dewhurst, who oversees 21 stores worldwide, including 18 in South Africa and three in the United States. Another store is located at Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan.
There are a variety of handmade bags, baskets, traditional African clothing and a range of beaded jewelry, examples of the craftsmanship highlighted through Dewhurst’s involvement in the fair trade industry. Some of the store’s products come from Rain, a South-African fair trade-accredited company that Dewhurst co-owns with her husband and another partner.
She said all of her products adhere to EU cosmetics standards, which are stricter than those in the U.S, according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
Creams, body butters, lotions and soaps are made from four main ingredients native to South Africa and are available in individual sizes and as part of gift sets on display throughout the store, explained Dewhurst, a South Salem resident.
The wild harvested organic African oils of Kalahari Melon, Baobab, Mafura, Marula and Mongongo Nut form the heart of Rain’s product range.
Dewhurst said that for centuries indigenous tribes sought various plants for their medicinal value, often relying on what they provide to heal and protect in a harsh climate.
Workers in Rain’s factory based in Swellendam, South Africa, carefully press the fruits and seeds that have been gathered from wild-growing trees, creating the oils that go into many of the products that Dewhurst sells at Kimberly House.
In addition to other foot, hair and skincare products available at Kimberly House under the Rain brand, Dewhurst sells a variety of products suitable for the home. There are fragranced room oils that help eliminate odors and other oils that can be used for home cleaning.
Dewhurst’s devotion to fair trade practices is evident. She mentions by first name the factory employees responsible for bringing the products to consumers around the world. There’s Bidon, a blind employee who makes olive oil soap eggs; André who is responsible for the candles; and Sam, the maker of the boxes that hold many of Rain’s products.
Throughout the 1,000-square-foot store, the Gordonsbury line is prominently displayed. The company started out on a farm in Zimbabwe and has gained worldwide recognition for its exquisite hand-embroidered bed and table linen and accessories. The company also produces adorable baby bedding, baby clothes and nursery decor. Table runners, place mats, napkins, tissue box covers and tea towels are part of the Gordonsbury collection at Kimberly House.
The store carries a line of products from Ashanti, another South African company that makes bean bags, baskets and ceramics, and Mungo, which produces table and kitchen linens, bed linen and cushions, throws and blankets, all hand woven using quality natural fibers.
Dewhurst, who visits South Africa frequently, said she is happy to bring her brands to the area.
“To me the store feels like I’m walking through my own home,” she said.
To see all of the products available at Kimberly House or to buy them online, visit www.kimberlyhouse.com.
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