The creator of the wildly popular Nora Fleming servingware pieces, Nora Fleming herself, is coming to town for a special event hosted at the Carol & Company boutique in downtown Barrington this November 14th.

Nora Fleming is one of the most popular lines sold at Carol & Co.’s online store headquartered in the company’s new retail space at Barrington Commons Court. Nora Fleming, who is from St. Charles, will be visiting with guests about her ultra-collectible line of simple white platters that can be accented with whimsical minis.
Carol & Co. owner Ruth Grigson carries many of Nora’s pieces right here in her Barrington store and sells them to a growing list of Nora Fleming fans across the country who find CarolandCompany.com with a simple search on the internet.

The seemingly endless line of Nora Fleming’s decorative accents attach to the platters and make thoughtful and space-conscious gifts for anyone who enjoys hosting.

There’s a mini for nearly every occasion, from football games to birthdays to holidays.

And they even offer a Nora Fleming Keepsake Box, where you can store all of your minis and pull out your favorites in any season.

Nora Fleming will appear at Carol & Company in Barrington Commons on Thursday, November 14, from 7-9pm. Food and drinks will be served. Carol & Company will give away a FREE popcorn mini with each platter purchase, and will offer free gift holiday gift boxes when 3 or more minis are purchased. Please join them in welcoming Nora to Barrington!

During the Nora Fleming event, Nora herself will be signing platters (just bake it for 30 minutes after having it signed, and it’ll stay on through washing).

If you haven’t shopped at Carol & Company yet, we highly recommend you drop by to check out this adorable shop. The bright and airy storefront is filled with Nora Fleming pieces plus unique jewelry, home accessories, and fabulous gifts for men and women alike. There are fun stories behind each and every product, and Ruth Grigson can’t wait to share them with you.

When Ruth opened Carol & Company on June 1, 2013, it marked a departure from her former online-only business model. Since its inception in 2010, Ruth’s creative marketing and eye for design have earned the Carol & Co. wesite a well-established online following…
As the site grew, so did her need for warehouse space: the search for an office began. When she realized that a storefront in downtown Barrington rented for only a bit more than office space, the brick-and-mortar Carol & Company was born.

Ruth assembled a team she loves, including Director of Customer Happiness (yes, that’s her real title) Lenoir Marks; Director of Retail Therapy, Melissa Blach; and Chief Shipper Extraordinaire, Tom Pomykala (Ruth’s dad, a retired entrepreneur). They love working with customers to create just the right gift (that’s how they earned their superlative titles).

For Ruth to include a product line in her store or on her site, she has to love it…
“I want to sell things that I’d love to receive,” she says. Makes great sense, right?

This guiding principal has served Ruth well, as Carol & Company’s site is now the United States’ largest retailer of John Wind’s internationally sold jewelry line, Maximal Art.

As a self-described extrovert, retail is a perfect fit for Ruth. “I need to be with people,” she says. “I’ve always loved helping and working with customers.”
She has been enjoying getting to know her new clientele right here in Barrington and the face-to-face interaction that’s absent on the internet.
She even sells a vintage-inspired necklace and bracelet designed just for Carol & Company by John Wind — how cool is that?
The shop also sells a carefully curated mix of customizable jewelry and a fun range of home accessories.
Lenny and Eva, one of Ruth’s favorites, lets you choose a saying, a cuff or bracelet, and a charm — which combine to create a one-of-a-kind piece. They’re a great way to commemorate a rite of passage, or celebrate an accomplishment.
The store will soon feature a charm bar, where you can pull up a chair and chat with a friend while designing your new signature style.

While you’re in the store, check out the organic 100% cotton towels with sassy sayings, eco-friendly soy candles by Rewined in delicious scents (I couldn’t leave without the Spiked Cider), and paper place mats and runners by Kitchen Papers. Grab a sweet card by Sugarboo Designs, and toss all of your purchases into an adorable tongue-in-cheek tote by Thursday Friday.
And don’t forget to drop your name in the jar: Each month, Ruth will draw one name to receive a fun product from the store. November’s winner will receive a $25 gift card, so how could you go wrong?

There are sweet gifts for girls, too: Carol & Company carries baubles by local artist Simone Zorzy, who also makes super cute felt hair accessories. And these floral head wraps are just the thing to lift everyone’s spirits on a dreary day.

Carol & Company is there for you in those moments when you realize you need a gift for the next day—after all the stores have closed. Just shop their website, select “pick up in store” under the shipping options, and your gift will be wrapped and ready for you to pick up when the store opens. A brilliant time-saver, don’t you agree?

Ruth and the Carol & Company family look forward to helping you find that perfect accessory or gift. Visit them soon at their flagship store, or on their site at www.carolandcompany.com.
Carol & Company Flagship Store
121 Barrington Commons Ct, Suite B
Barrington, IL 60010
Shop Hours:
Tues, Weds, and Fri 10am-5:30 pm
Thurs 10-6
Sat 10am-4pm
We are pleased to welcome Carol & Company as the latest member to join the Barrington Online Marketplace here at 365Barrington.com.
CLICK HERE to find the Carol & Company feature page we just published in our Marketplace. To peruse all of our existing Marketplace member features, visit 365Barrington.com/Marketplace. To follow the latest members to join our Marketplace, visit 365Barrington.com/Buzz. And if you’d like to become a featured member of our Marketplace, visit 365Barrington.com/advertise.
