Rye the Label is a boutique located in The Fountains at Gateway in Murfreesboro. It is the brain-child of friends Krissy Burch and Autumn Suter. They met through their husbands, who both love whiskey, and the relationship the couples formed because of that beverage made them decide that they wanted to open a business together that was part bar and part clothing store.
“I come from Franklin,” said Suter, “and there is no store in downtown Franklin where there is a place for husbands to sit or anything for them to do while the ladies shop. We wanted to create a place that was better for everyone.”
The shop offers a large seating area with comfortable couches and a big screen television, allowing the guys to watch the game if they so desire. The space is also used for private events, like their monthly “Rye Nights.”
“They get the guys in here and get their wives in here,” explained Burch.
Rye Nights offer bourbon tastings for the guys, and wine and shopping for their wives. The cost is $75, which includes the tastings, discounted shopping and VIP access to new arrivals. Customers who are interested in this special shopping experience can sign up for reminder texts on their website, Instagram or Facebook pages. This event allows Suter and Burch to get to know their customers better.
“We are all about developing long term relationships,” explained Suter. “We want Rye Nights to be an experience, like a date night. Younger shoppers are now all about getting out of the house and having more experiences.”
The Rye Nights have been an experience for the co-owners of the store as well. While their husband’s love of bourbon brought them together, neither Suter or Burch actually like the taste of the stuff. So, a Tik Tok video of their reactions while trying to understand their husband’s love of the taste of fine bourbon has been getting viral action on their social media. Drawing more people to the store.
Burch and Suter aim to make everyone, from young to more mature shoppers, comfortable with the clothing and the casual feel of the space. They worked with local designers and builders to make the space feel casually elegant. HoCo did the layout, hand-painted the green accent wall, and also helped with choosing the furniture from Décor Stop near the Co-Op. The bar and the wrap stand were handmade by local woodworkers Mitchell Schrock and Josh Volkov, respectively.
They wanted to feature a number of local vendors as well. Nella Moon candles from Nolensville are very popular, as is their Vincent jewelry, which is also made locally.
When they opened the store, the two women merged their styles. Burch, who used to own Beau + Burch on the Square in Murfreesboro, has a much more casual style, while Suter likes to get dressed up.
“People are getting dressed up again,” said Suter. They have lots of flirty dresses to finish out the summer and carry one into fall. Currently, they are featuring lots of Barbie pink and white dresses and accessories, playing on the trend created by the opening of the new movie.
One of their hottest items is a handbag, however, not a dress. They cannot keep them in stock. They are very versatile; convertible into a cross-body bag, a bum bag — AKA Fanny pack — or a belt. Cross body bags are a big seller right now, and even their backpack bags can be converted into a cross-body bag.
They will be bringing in a curated men’s line of clothing soon, but they have started in that direction by developing some logo gear with a special logo developed just for the guys. Right now, they are offering hats and tee shirts with the masculine version of their logo.
Hope to offer a coffee shop vibe is happening. They provide wi-fi, and some people do come in and work on the couch during the week. Complementary water is offered to shoppers, and they add complimentary Mimosas on the weekends.
“We are all about creating meaningful relationships over a beer at the bar or a water on the couch,” added Burch. “That is what makes people long-time customers.”
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