Kim Hannon
Photos: Aaron Lockwood
The coastal-inspired boutique Ophiuroidea has developed quite a following with residents and visitors of Maryland’s Eastern Bay over the last 13 years. Named after a species of starfish that is complicated for some to pronounce, people often refer to the shop as “The O.”
What started out as one location in St. Michaels 13 years ago, led to the opening of a second store in 2019 in the nearby Kent Narrows’ town of Grasonville.
Now Hannon is taking her unique mix of coastal selections westward, with a new location across the bay in Annapolis, Maryland, where she will display her coastal offerings alongside other artists and vendors in a co-op called Local by Design.
“It’s a cool concept,” says Hannon. “I know there are other places like it around the country but there aren’t that many around here.”
The new space has two floors, and Hannon plans to dedicate the upstairs to clothing. She is also considering offering private shopping experiences where a group of friends can come and spend a happy hour in the store together.
At the two East Bay stores, Hannon carries some of the same products while others are ZIP code protected. Both stores, she says, are driven by tourists, but the Kent Narrows location has more local visitors.
Dressier days
Hannon has noticed some trends emerging in summer of 2023, particularly with her clothing offerings. During the pandemic, customers were all about the casual wear because they weren’t around many people, but that has changed this summer.
“People are starting to get a little more dressy stuff for going out,” she says. While dresses are selling more than they have in the past few years, they are still on the casual side with versatility to be dressed up or down for day or evening.
Maryland’s Ophiuroidea stores carry decor and accessories that won’t be found in other area stores.
Cabana Life is a popular dress line at the stores with colorful prints that also protect people from UV rays.
While the cooler start to summer has affected sales of clothing designed for warmer, humid temperatures, Hannon expects that to change once the summer heat hits.
In home decor, Hannon says, “Candles are always good, but a lot of what we’ve been selling lately are rechargeable.” The candles she carries from Flame Illusion and Radiant last longer than ones that take batteries, according to Hannon.
Artwork featuring crabs and herons is always popular in the store.
“Pillows are good for us. People are always looking to spruce up their decor and pillows are an easy way to do it,” notes Hannon, who says Rightside Design is one of her biggest suppliers.
Name-drop merchandise isn’t a huge category at The O, but the stores do sell dish towels, cotton towels and magnets that have the location on them.
“I’m also in the process of adding a clothing line, and name-drops will be part of it,” says Hannon.
Selective sourcing
To keep her stores fresh and original, Hannon attends various events throughout the year, including Surf Expo. This year she attended her first Dallas Market and she also attended the inaugural Coastal Connections Conference, where she says she found four or five new vendors, including Kay Hova Art and Home, which creates waves and seascapes on serving boards, glassware and other items.
“I was super excited to try them,” says Hannon. The brand also ties in well with entertaining, which is a popular category at The O. The stores stock cocktail mixes and candies featuring the store logo.
“If you can’t find a gift for somebody, food is always a good option,” she says.
She just ordered a product called Mixed Craft where liquor is infused in a small bottle. She also carries Bittermilk, which makes bourbon mixes.
Hannon also carries work from local artists who often come into the store to see if she will carry their artwork. Faire is also a source for new product lines.
Hannon tries to find items that are unique and cannot be found in other stores in the area. Wooden watches and jewelry by Wooden Element are among the interesting finds at The O. Animal tracking bracelets from Fahlo have also gained popularity over the last couple of years.
The O also carries jewelry from Ocean, Dune, Jackie Gallagher Designs, Melissa Lew and others.
Sea glass jewelry is also popular. The O also carries a variety of sea glass jewelry and mosaic art. Hannon has a fondness for sea glass and organizations that work to protect the waterways and shorelines where it is found.
Sea glass support
Hannon was honored by Seaside Retailer magazine with a Starfish award in 2020 for her work in promoting sea glass and beach conservation. Today she is still helping out as much as she can with local beach cleanups.
Hannon also organizes the Eastern Shore Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival in St. Michaels every spring and fall. “We have over 90 artists from around the country to display their wares,” she says.
The festival also offers shard identification where people can bring their finds and talk to experts about what age the glass might be or what it could have been originally. She hopes to be able to include an educational component soon to the festival, but due to construction at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum where it is held, the last couple of festivals had to be pared down.
Hannon continues to work with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, but she retired from her role as president of the North American Sea Glass Association after 10 years. Founded in 2006, the organization is now the International Sea Glass Association.
Her passion for sea glass began early on after she opened The O, when some local sea glass artists came in to see if she would be interested in selling their creations.
“I was like, let’s try to do a festival about it and try to get people to know a little more about it, and that is how it all evolved,” she says.
