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how some other folks
have described us:
the
economist (economist.com)
describes proper topper as “where . . . you find
all the must-haves you never knew you needed . . . ”
lucky magazine calls us “the premiere
spot for washingtonians in the market for hip gifts
and accessories.” according to usa today,
proper topper is “one of the 10 best places in the
u.s. to buy a hat.” washingtonian
magazine praises us as "one of the best places in dc
to find great clothes," and, the readers poll at
washingtonpost.com selected proper topper a
"favorite off-beat find." |
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our story
Proper Topper was founded
in 1990 with the wildly hopeful dream of making a livelihood
collecting, arranging and selling beautiful treasures. Happily,
we’ve found great customers who share our loves and
who’ve helped us keep the dream alive. Who knew how much fun it
would be to let each new day’s stories unfold?
Proper Topper’s collection of gifts, home items, clothing,
accessories, hats, and kids’ stuff has evolved over the years to
reflect shifting whims and passions. Change continues daily in
our business, as in our lives, making the adventure ever more
fun.
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our inspiration
Our motto is "wonders never cease," and the evidence is in the people all around us: our customers who teach and
inspire us daily, the designers and makers of our products
(fair-trade businesses, women-owned businesses and good-people businesses!), and our dedicated staff.
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our staff |
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Anna Fuhrman
Founder + President
Proper Topper reflects Anna’s earliest pursuits: collecting
treasured objects and convincing other people (mostly her patient family) to love them. Her childhood was full of gathering stuff
from nature (rocks, sticks, bird feathers) and from her mother's attic (clothing, hats, jewels) and playing store. While the customers and income were imaginary, seeds were planted.
Law school at Georgetown and work as a lawyer for a few years only
postponed the inevitable. Soon she wound her way back to collecting
– and selling – things she loves. The first Proper
Topper opened in 1990, and the character of the ever-growing collection still echoes her earliest ones: |
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birdhouses made of shells; baby
rattles carved from gourds; gifts and home accessories made of shells, horn, bamboo; fashion and millinery with a vintage
sensibility and retro glamour.
Proper Topper has become a family affair. Anna's husband Joe (below) designs
the web site, helps guide the day-to-day life of the business, and
photographs the birds and bugs and nature that appear throughout the website and the shops. Three-year-old Lucy and best-in-the-world dog Cassady make frequent
appearances both in the shops and on the site. And her parents Don and Win Fuhrman still house many of
the early collections in Oklahoma City, waiting for their grandaughter to discover
more on each visit. |
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Joe
Kerr
Director of Operations
Photographer, graphic designer, carpenter, music expert and
storyteller extraordinaire, Joe is “father” to the business, husband
to Anna Fuhrman, and dad to Lucy, age 3. He helps navigate the
daily adventures of Proper Topper with good cheer and great
creativity. And he stops to shoot a cool bug, animal or baby
whenever he gets the chance.
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Kimberly Trent
General Manager
The person who inspires our entire staff every day, Kimberly is Proper
Topper’s magic ingredient and chief problem-solver. Kimberly loves
helping people discover things: the solution to a tricky challenge,
the book they'll most love to spend a vacation with, and – perhaps
most fun of all for her – the perfect gift for anyone. Kimberly is a
wonderful guide because she is an explorer herself. Her passion for the things we sell, the people who make them, and
the customers who support us are infectious - come see for yourself! |
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Annemarie Vaeni
Webmaster
Photographer, writer, web designer – Annemarie wears many hats with
the ease of – well, a milliner. She selects, styles and photographs
the items you'll find on these pages; she offers helpful customer service advice; she helps us in our quest to be green,
having just completed intensive coursework in sustainable design;
and she might just be the person who greets you in our Georgetown shop!
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Emily Plumb
Buyer
Referred to among our staff as Detective Plumb, Emily has a keen eye
for detail, exquisite taste, and a very inquiring mind – a great
combination of skills for a Proper Topper buyer. Her wry sense of
humor and compendium of both essential and obscure factual knowledge
make her an all-around asset to Proper Topper (and a fun guest at
any party). |
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Tara McCredie
Internet Sales
Tara is our highly-organized orchestrator of internet sales, the
warm voice on our customer service line, the talented author of many
of the tantalizing product descriptions, and – by the way – an opera
singer. Given the colorful stories that can unfold on any given day
in the world of retail, we are hopeful we might see some original
works based on Proper Topper.
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