Meet Wild: A New Nature-Inspired Homeware Shop in Hoboken

Shopping

Wild is a homeware shop that draws inspiration from beachy scenes, architecture, and wildflowers. While the website is currently blank — just a cheery, pastel-colored page with the text, “coming soon” written across it — Hoboken Girl reached out to the owners, Ana and Mike, and found out that Wild has big plans for its 6th Street location. {Plus, Wild’s Instagram account, @wild.homewares, curates a visualization of that ethos.}

^Antiques on antiques

“Shopping for your home is a very personal experience, and we think there’s something special about finding a one-of-a-kind piece — especially when it’s from a small shop right in your own neighborhood,” Ana tells Hoboken Girl in an email. “We hope to be an inviting place for passersby to stop in for some lemonade, have a look around, and maybe find something unique to add to their own collection {or gift to a good friend}.”

Starting with ambiance, you can expect the environment at Wild to draw as much inspiration from nature as it does in its inventory.

“The space itself is simple and serene, with original plaster walls and large light-filled windows, so we let that inform the design,” Ana says. “We’ve brought in some antique pieces, climbing plants and flowers, and one very oversized mirror.”

Now, for the inventory. You can find everything you might ever need to put the finishing touches on a space — from vintage pieces to original art.

“Our inventory is a mix of vintage handmade pottery, etched glassware, original art, and some textiles, and furniture,” Ana explains. And like we said before, you can expect pretty much all of it to revolve around the concept of nature in some shape or form.”

“My partner Mike and I are happiest when we’re out in nature, so our travels tend to center around the mountains or the ocean,” Ana says. “Wild is named for the tangled vines, overgrown wildflowers, and wave-softened stones that we’re drawn to on those trips.”

With tangled vines and other untouched moments in nature serving as Wild’s ultimate inspo, you will find a lot of similarly treated pieces in the 6th Street shop.

“In that spirit, the pieces we’ve collected honor the natural beauty of imperfection,” Ana continues. “Each one is vintage, and some show the marks of a life well-lived, worn in the best way. They’re meant to be used over and over again — the glasses over-filled and clinked with friends, platters and bowls and candlesticks squeezed onto a tiny table. An impromptu party outside with good music and even better food is our idea of a wild summer night, and we have that simple joy in mind as we source each piece.”

Read More: Willow Rose: Hoboken’s Athleisure Boutique on 1st

Making Hoboken Home

The Mile Square is obviously a quaint place to situate any shop, but we were specifically curious as to what brought Wild to this specific spot on 6th Street. Mike and Ana are locals who have been scoping out the location for years — even back when it was still Aaraa.

“We’ve lived around the corner from the store for years, and I’ve always loved the space,” Ana says. “Sharon of 6th Street Vintage curates the most wonderful mix and I used to stop in on my way home to shop there. I was a home editor for many years, which meant I did a lot of prop-styling for photo shoots, so we’ve often spent our weekends upstate and beyond, hunting around for unique pieces.”

With years’ worth of a background in homeware, you can imagine that Ana and Mike have collected quite a lot of stuff throughout their travels and photo shoots.

“Over the years I’ve amassed a bit of a collection, and always dreamt of opening a small shop for it,” Ana continues. “We’re very much looking forward to sharing the space with Sharon {6th Street Vintage will be in the adjoining room}, as I think our inventories will be a very natural complement to each other.”

The Future of Wild

Wild is made by Hoboken, for Hoboken. Ana and Mike want locals to know that they are beyond humbled and grateful for the opportunity to open up a shop in town.

“We’ve sourced our inventory from all over the place, and have consistently met the kindest, most interesting people who have generously shared stories about the pieces and their histories,” Ana explains. “We’re most looking forward to meeting more people within our own community, continuing those conversations, and hopefully, making new friends!”