q + a with our founder

         

beacon's closet founder, carrie peterson, in her garden

beacon's: the month of may marked the 27th anniversary of the first beacon's closet that opened in williamsburg in 1997. how have you navigated changes through so many years?:

carrie: despite the impression that some people might have that we are some conglomeration, we are a tight knit group. i have 4 partners who are now like sisters to me, and together, we can make stealthy decisions and adapt as we must, because this is our livelihood, and the livelihood of all of our wonderfully creative staff.

beacon's: why not expand into more locations or franchises?

carrie: see above. for us, we feel more money = more problems. yes, we like it when we have a bit extra, but everything feels unpredictable right now. it would just become a radioactive monster.

beacon's: what are your fears and hopes for the future?

carrie: i'm fearless. bring it. jk. going to say that there will be another global event that shuts us down. i don't know how i'd live without beacon's and the people that are a part of it.

                                  carrie's favorite boots crushing a rose from her garden

beacon's: what inspires your personal style, and what are you wearing right now?
 

carrie: i'm pretty conservative w/ my fits, especially compared to our bold staff. i'm really introverted, and i think that my style probably conveys this.

top to bottom: an acne studios scarf, a woven cotton cardigan #foundatbeacons, a beige jungmaven tee, boring stovepipe jeans also #foundatbeacons, my favorite pair of boots, brown suede slip ons made by marséll, and chartreuse baggu socks. 



                                                                           bangin' roses 

beacon's: what's next? 

carrie: next, aside from my gardening obsession, i'm trying something totally different. i have two sons, one of whom has an intellectual disability called fragile X syndrome. he's turning 18 soon. my partner @cindywheelerwritespoems and I just bought a little bit of land upstate, and i'm working on building an inclusive micro village around this land and around my son in tivoli, ny.

beacon's: that sounds ambitious.

carrie: that's because it is? but apparently no one else is going to do it. there are a few similar models out there, but nothing quite like what we're aiming to create.

i've got a kickstarter going and hope to raise money to buy neighboring land on which to build the little village for other people with and without disabilities so we can all grow together with support! isolation and homelessness are such pervasive issues especially for people with disabilities. i hope that the village, called circleofthenoblefox.com will serve as a model for future communities, and will help address both the shortage of housing for people with disabilities and provide an opportunity for the elderly to age in place. shout out to another of my partners @beth_moon_burgess for creating our amazing logo!

                            circle of the noble fox logo by partner beth moon burgess


beacon's: final thoughts?

carrie: yes to final thoughts. beacon's closet has been my lifeline in so many ways, and a place where i've met some of the most beautiful humans imaginable. we've have a lot of aspiring artists working with us and i'm always curious to see how they, and we, will evolve. no matter where the future takes us, if we're lucky and our customers continue to be as supportive as they have been, beacon's will be permanent fixture in nyc! also, i'm coming out of my comfort zone to help get visibility for circle of the noble fox.


land we hope to purchase for the disability forward microvillage