Pleasure Doing Business: Domain Home Accessories

The Domain, one of Gulfport's unique art stores, is having their 10^th anniversary today, Monday, February 28th. Everyone is invited to celebrate today from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the store, 3129 Beach Blvd. S. Drinks and food will be provided and people can buy raffle tickets to win some of the lamps in the store. Tickets are $1.

The Domain Home Accessories specializes in unique and functional art made by local artists around Gulfport.

The store has been open for 10 years but two years ago, it was bought by it's current owners, Michael Knettel and Bobbi Stapleton.

Knettel and Stapleton started at Domain as avid shoppers, Stapleton said. When Mike McCue, the former owner of the Domain, said that he was looking to sell the shop two years ago, Knettle and Stapleton bought the shop from McCue to help keep the shop that they loved the same.

Even though McCue sold the Domain, he couldn't stay away, Stapleton said. He has continued to work one day at the shop and moved up to working Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Getting artists and their work into the shop isn't hard for Knettel and Stapleton because McCue made a name for the Domain as the place to go for local art during his years as owner, Stapleton said.

“It's a win-win-win. The artists get to get their work displayed permanently, the customers get to come and see the work 70 original artists in one space and it's a win for me because it makes my job easier. I don't have to go looking for as much merchandise,” Stapleton.

Anyone who wants to show their art at the Domain have to first meet up with Stapleton to figure out if the art would be suitable to reside at the Domain, Stapleton said. If it isn't something that will work at the Domain, Stapleton recommends them to bring their items to Bo-Tiki or the Outpost.

“(All the art shop owners) are very careful. None of us carry the same merchandise and we all have our niche,” Stapleton said.

Since taking ownership, Knettle and Stapleton have expanded the shop to make it twice as large and add more local artists, Stapleton said.

The artists featured in the store include Owen Pach, a renowned glassblower with several exhibits across the country, Kimberly Dawn Clayton, whose artwork adorns the House of Blues in Orlando, and many more.

Not everything in the space is original work but the items that aren't originals are still interesting and unique enough to fit in with the Domain's aestehtic, Stapleton said.

“If you need to find a gift for someone who has everything or is hard to buy for, this is the place to come to,” Stapleton said.

The 10^th anniversary will have everything in the store marked 10 percent off, but will also be celebrating what Mike McCue started with the Domain in Gulfport, Knettel said.

“What other store can you go into and find jewelry, pens, recycled paper and toilet seats?” Knettel said.

The Domain is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.