Magaly Chocano’s world travels continue to inspire her long after she’s returned from a trip. Her newest venture marries her love of travel and her passion for running a business. The result is Ore & Timber, a new boutique in the King William District located at 721 S. St. Mary’s.
“We travel quite a lot so it’s kind of bringing all the things that I love from all those travels into one small space,” Chocano said of the store’s inspiration.
The Madrid-native floated around her intimately-sized boutique on Wednesday, offering visitors complimentary champagne and hors d’oeuvres from Tim the Girl, in celebration of the store’s opening day. The space that once served as Chocano’s office for her business Sweb Development, a digital strategies and development company, now houses items sourced from all over the country and world.
Chocano founded Sweb in 2008 and its offices are now located less than one block north in a larger space on South St. Mary’s Street.
The boutique store features embroidered coin purses from India, coffee mugs from Amsterdam, and wooden kitchen sets from Morocco. Some of the more unique offerings at the boutique include an assortment of pickled vegetables made by a Mexican artisan using her family’s longtime recipe.
The store also features artisan crafted facial scrubs, birthday cards from San Francisco, and a variety of paintings and jewelry made by local artists.
“The sourcing of everything is what makes (the store) so unique,” Chocano said.
Each item in the store sits on wooden shelving and tables made from recycled wood and materials by Chocano’s husband Tirso Sigg, a local carpenter.
“(The store) is called Ore & Timber because he works with metal and wood,” she said. “Probably one of the most unique things in the store is his furniture since it’s one-of-a-kind.”
In addition to the tables and shelves, Sigg constructed the light fixtures and sculptures featured throughout the boutique. Some of Chocano’s favorite pieces include a pecan tree log-turned coffee table and the wooden check-out desk made in the image of the American flag, but all pieces of furniture are up for sale, she added.
The store’s regular business hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but Chocano said on certain occasions they may make exceptions.
“This week is First Friday so we’re probably going to be open later,” she said.
The King William District is home to picturesque Victorian houses and some of the city’s trendiest dining and shopping spots. Though the boutique isn’t the only one in the area, Chocano said the location is prime for receiving the neighborhood’s residents and visitors flocking to the usual hangout spots.
“It’s just a great neighborhood with a lot of foot traffic of not only people eating and drinking, but also shopping,” she said.
*Top image: A father and child exit Ore & Timber located on South Saint Mary’s in the King William Historic Neighborhood. Photo by Scott Ball.
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