Flip the Switch on Better Store Displays By Focusing on Lighting | Linda Cahan

One week before Christmas ’25 I was driving home from lunch with my friend Claudia when she quickly made a sharp right turn into a small driveway. She knows I’m always looking for great gift and accessories shops and wanted me to see Piper Louie. When I walked in, I knew why – it was charming! I went back to the shop a few weeks ago to see if it still “worked” without the holiday décor and was happy to find it lovely and highly shoppable.

Piper Louie in Lake Oswego, Ore., is owned by interior designer Julie Nordby and her architect husband, Jon. “While naming the shop, we wanted something that reflected the style of the merchandise we were drawn to at the time — a blend of beachy ease and French-inspired charm. ‘Piper’ carried a light, coastal feel, while ‘Louie’ added a touch of French character. Together, the names simply felt right — effortless, memorable, and perfectly aligned with the aesthetic we loved,” Julie said.

They opened the space in 2012, and it has evolved over time as a must-shop for locals, as well as a highly successful pop-up shop at local events ranging from golf courses to wineries. The pop-ups generate a huge amount of business at the events resulting in many new customers. Their curated selection of gifts, handbags, jewelry, pillows, plants, homewares, and locally made goods tend to be in more neutral tones, which are both trendy and attract broad appeal.

One thing I noticed other than the excellent visual merchandising was their lighting. There’s a lot of it both on the ceiling and at eye level. Every lamp that can be turned on, glows. Their ceiling lighting isn’t pretty, but the point is for people to never look up and I’m quite sure they don’t as the merchandise occupies their interest. I looked up because I realized that the store feels comfortably bright without being too bright and harsh. They’ve created the perfect blend of softness combined with visibility that works extremely well.

Pops of color come from the greenery spotted around the small shop. The entire shop is less than 1,000 square feet, making it easy to navigate. Their tall shelving fixtures make use of the height of the store and give them the shelving they need to show a lot without looking crowded.

Piper Louie has been doing  a great job for 14 years and I’m looking forward to shopping there as a customer, not just as a columnist.

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