Conversations with Zach Keyes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Keyes.

Hi Zach, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
J’adore Home & Garden has been a beloved home decor and furnishings store, nestled in Kansas City’s Brookside neighborhood. The shop has been a local haven for tasteful and inspired home decor for over 25 years. Founded in 1998 by partners Michael Richardson and Allan Stever, the store is celebrated for its storied legacy, curated collections and exceptional customer service. Originally, the shop specialized in dealing European antiques, specifically from France and Belgium. Through the years, the store has evolved and J’adore now offers a wide array of home decor items such as accessories, fabrics, wallpapers, rugs, lighting, seasonal goods and more. Myseld and my husband Cecil Keyes purchased the store in January 2024 and have carried on the traditions that have defined J’adore over the years, while putting our own unique spin on things to make sure it stays a local favorite for classic, colorful, traditional & playful interiors.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Overall, we have had a relatively smooth journey taking over the store. We are fortunate that the previous owners built a solid and loyal customer base over the 25 years they owned the shop. We have had plenty of learning lessons in how to run the business on a day-to-day basis as well as plenty of lessons in customer service and how a local store can really excel in that area. Unlike big box stores, we have the opportunity to really focus on 1:1 customer service and get to know each of our customers and that has allowed us to really have a smooth experience in taking over the store. It was daunting taking over a store with such dedicated customers, but we have kept the look of the store in spirit with what customers expect and we have added our own unique taste and services that have been overall well received.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I originally majored in Journalism with an emphasis in Strategic Communications from KU. I worked in PR and marketing for restaurants, hotels and retail shops for a few years out of school. When my husband and I moved to Chicago in 2020, I was supposed to go back to school for interior design, but then COVID hit and the whole world flipped upside down. I ended up working in investor relations and would help with their primary research for a group in Chicago, but the plan was to make it back to school for design. Then, the opportunity came up to purchase J’adore in spring 2023 and by January 2024 we were the official owners! I had been a customer of J’adore since 2017/2018 and had gotten to know Allan Stever over the years and when he was ready to sell he mentioned it to me in passing and then it got serious. I technically do not have a formal education in design or in retail, but I am passionate about both and have taken the opportunity as owner to do “on the job” learning. My background in PR and marketing has been helpful for thinking outside the box and for coming up with new ideas to put my stamp on the store.

What were you like growing up?
I have always been a creative person while growing up and I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I was very artistic growing up and would color, paint, play with clay and all sorts of art projects. I originally wanted to be a restaurant owner when I was very young and I would draw out different floor plans of restaurants I wanted to own. I would always come up with different business ideas. and in terms of design, I was the kid who was constantly rearranging their room and hanging new things on the walls. It wasn’t until a few years into college though that I realized I had a true interest in design and that it would be something I wanted to do in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jadorehome.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadorehomegarden
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jadorehomegarden