Paisley & Jade

A: Morgan and Perkins first met when working in off premise catering in Richmond, VA. Morgan managed and headed corporate sales while Perkins was brought on to start a wedding division. A large part of the job was creating visual displays for food and sub renting pieces from local companies for events.   The dynamic duo spent many long hours  brainstorming, designing and constructing their own props to get the achieved look for their catering clients.  Hours of creating, many lengthy discussions and few bottles of wine soon led to the concept of an eclectic rental prop shop that was useful to both vendors and clients.  Morgan’s background is in scenic design and the fact that Perkins literally grew up on an event venue – ended up creating just the right combination for P&J’s soon to be aesthetic!  Discussion soon turned into action and Paisley & Jade was born!
Both Morgan and Perkins took the plunge and began working on their small business full time to get that baby off the ground the RIGHT way. To do so, it was important to both of them to hire professionals who specialize in their fields.  With the help of a handful of wonderful local business owners, an accountant, and a thorough business plan, Paisley & Jade quickly became a thriving business. Without the support of local businesses and industry professionals in Richmond, P&J could have never had the start that it did!  We owe so much to so many kind “friendors!”  And now here we are, living the dream!
Paisley & Jade’s first location was a collection of  simple storage units. Sounds glamorous right?! The inventory quickly grew and we expanded to a 5,000 square-foot space in Scotts Addition. Before too long we outgrew that space and it was time to take the next step.  Our current location on the corner of Highpoint and Moore has been P&J’s home since early 2014 and we now encompass all 10,000 square feet of it!  We love the industrial and chic vibes of our building and how it is able to  provide space for office areas, a packed warehouse and stylish a showroom that we’re able to also rent for events!  On the delivery side we’re proud owners of an 18 ft. and 26 ft. box truck which you might see on the highways and byways of Virginia, DC, Maryland or North Carolina on any given weekend.  Our delivery crew rocks!  We’re also proud to currently have seven full time employees on staff and between 10-15 awesome part-timers! It’s been an exciting few years to say the least! We’re so thankful that our hard work and industry relationships have helped us get this far and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Q: Most Unique Place Paisley & Jade has taken you?

A: From estate sales and auctions to family attics and barns we’ve definitely been to some interesting spots hunting for new #pandjpretties   But I think we can agree that our favorite spot for scouring vintage finds is the Brimfield Antique Flea Market in Morgan’s home state of Massachusetts!  It’s America’s oldest outdoor antique market and while it can be exhausting to explore, it sure is fun!  While visiting her family near Boston, Morgan has definitely made an impromptu trip or three to  Brimfield and returned to Virginia with a car packed to the brim! Pun intended 🙂
Q: It’s mentioned in your website bio that you dislike ice cream trucks that drive by without stopping – and we are right there with you! We have to ask, icecream cone or ice cream sandwich?  

A: While you can’t really go wrong with either choice, Team P&J seem to be split right down the middle on this one! We also had some “write-in” votes for Ninja Turtle Ice Cream Bars, Rocket Pops and Drum Sticks. We’re definitely a diverse crew especially when it comes to our love of sweet treats and Pandora office playlists.
Q: What is your favorite rental item in the shop?

A: Another tough one! Our inventory changes frequently and we’re always adding new finds which in turn leads to new “faves!” Right now we’re really loving a couple of our custom built pieces – the Button Tufted Bar and Hairpin Leg Farm Tables.  We’re also pretty excited about some new vintage finds including a Brass and Glass Bar Cart and canary yellow settee we’ve aptly named Rupert.
Q: What’s your hidden talent?

A: We weren’t kidding when we said Team P&J is a diverse bunch! We have all specialized in different things in our pasts that brought us to where we are today: television production, catering sales, sculpture, technical theatre…just to name a few.  So all that considered it’s no surprise that we’ve got quite a talented bunch working here at Highpoint and Moore!  Our most recent addition to the team is our Rental Coordinator, Erin who is putting one of her not-so-hidden talents to use almost daily for our clients.  Erin is an incredibly talented artist and also does amazing hand-lettering work!  Since she started with us back in August, Erin has created some gorgeous hand-lettered designs for our chalkboard bars, vintage frames and mirrors!  
Q: Favorite Part About Your Job?

A: There are lots of things we enjoy about working in this crazy little world of specialty rentals!  But one thing we love is being part of a great group of industry professionals!  We’ve made it this far, in part, thanks to a magic combination of hard work and real relationships.  We love lifting up our fellow creatives and small business owners and it never ceases to amaze us how supportive they are of our team and the niche we’ve created here in the mid-atlantic region.  In an industry that can be competitive and stressful at times we really do rely on these relationships for advice, support, constructive criticism and encouragement.  “Community Over Competition” is a value we strive to put into action every day at Paisley & Jade.  “Friendors” rock!