Columbia couple opens third business, Gather, downtown focusing on the heart of the home

Columbia couple Adam and Kathryn York, owners and proprietors of existing businesses Smith & York and Woven in downtown Columbia, have recently relocated another business to Public Square, Gather Kitchen Mercantile.

Gather offers high-end kitchen appliances, cutlery, soup kits, dishware and other essential kitchen and dining accessories — everything needed for the most important room in the house — the kitchen — where families and friends "gather."

Located at the former Muletown Coffee space, the culinary and houseware retail shop opened its doors in November, and the Yorks are getting settled in their new location after operating the business formerly as Lime & Loaf on North Garden Street.

"We wanted to honor this space, to retain the authenticity for all the great memories people have that happened here (at the former coffee shop), the feel of what it was," Adam York said. "It still has the character being right next door to all the coffee shop folks who spent days in here."

And while the name and brand are new, Gather represents a reformed version of the Yorks' former Lime & Loaf business founded in 2021 with The Dotted Lime owners Paul and Chrissy Jensen.

More: 'It's a family': Lime & Loaf brings high-end culinary retail, food hybrid to Columbia

The Yorks took full ownership of Lime & Loaf in July of 2022, but found that their needs as a business weren't being met to its highest potential at the former North Garden Street location.

"We loved that space, but when we designed it, it was more like a café and a working kitchen," Adam York said. "It was what it was meant to be, but Gather embodies more of the retail shop. This is basically the same operation, just with a different skin on it."

Creating a 'gathering' spot

The name Gather stems from the concept of how the largest spot in the home for gathering centers around the kitchen and dining areas, Kathryn York said.

"That was important to us, because we love to host and have people in our home," Kathryn York said. "So much of your life happens in your home, and when you are home, it's usually in your kitchen or dining area. That's where families gather, where friends gather and there is something spiritual about people gathering, which is at the heart of everything we do."

The business owners, met in Nashville while working jobs in college with Kathryn York attending Trevecca Nazarene University and Adam York attending Belmont University. With Kathryn's background in tourism and hospitality and Adam's background in marketing and publishing, the couple has been combining their talents as business and lifelong partners ever since.

They moved to Columbia in 2019 to begin their entrepreneurship journey after several years of living in Franklin and Nashville.

"Both of our experiences naturally helped us embrace an entrepreneurial spirit, and a couple of visits to downtown Columbia affirmed that this was the right city for us to begin our new adventure as small business owners," Adam York said.

Smaller space, but bigger business

Gather's downtown locale reduced the businesses' overall operating space from about 2,700 square feet at the 510 N. Garden St. former Lime & Loaf site to around 900 square feet now at 23 Public Square.

However, the Yorks say the move has benefited them in many ways, such as opening the ability to display more products along the walls, as well as focusing on domestic kitchenware versus commercial.

"We have more retail products than at the previous location because we didn't have much wall space with all the windows," Kathryn York said. "We, of course made some changes, like the fact we don't need to serve food and coffee anymore with Muletown right next door."

Three businesses just steps away

There has also been an increase in their customer base with all of the downtown foot traffic and downtown tourism.

"Lime & Loaf did great business when we were there, but when you compare that to a business on the square, we knew it could do even better, and that we could capture more of a tourism market," Kathryn York said. "That was one of our main business strategies, the tourism you see on the square that we didn't see off the square. It made more sense from a retail standpoint, and the opportunity was there."

And all three of the Yorks' stores are located within steps of each other on Public Square, close access for whichever flavor of goods customers desire.

"Smith & York is our home and gift shop, Gather is our kitchen and table shop, and then Woven is primarily a boutique for clothing, accessories and lifestyle," Adam York said.

Customers may also shop beyond what's found on the shelves at Gather. Lighting fixtures, display cases and just about anything in the store short of the checkout counter is available for purchase.

"There is nothing in here, other than a few tables that are custom made, that we can't sell or order," Kathryn York said. "If you want these lighting fixtures or the large bookcases, tables, the chairs, artwork, we can sell that whether it's at Smith & York or on our website.

"We designed a space that we think is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also attainable. You can have these items in the home, not just in our store."

Gather has also created new opportunities to benefit the Yorks' other businesses at Smith & York and Woven, which the Yorks operate with business partner Abby Youngblut. Wedding registries, house-warming gifts and more are offered at the stores.

Columbia offerings getting 'better and better'

Gather is also a business which adds yet another layer to the downtown square's business landscape, providing something new and as a way to enhance the home.

The Yorks say it's exciting to continue building relationships with other fellow small business owners and an opportunity to meet customers new and old every single day.

"Columbia, I feel, has never had so much balance of all the different types of businesses and offerings as we have now," Adam York said. "It keeps getting better and better with more people moving here. People can choose so many different options from decor to furniture, food and more. It's just a good time to be here and be a part of it."

Gather, 23 Public Square, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Customers can also shop online at www.GatherKitchenMercantile.com.

Jay Powell is a general reporter for The Daily Herald. Get up-to-date news in your inbox by subscribing to The Daily Herald newsletter at www.ColumbiaDailyHerald.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Columbia couple opens third business Gather in downtown