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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." thewanderous.com calls us "high-end meets mindful . . . sourcing local, handmade, fair trade and organic." |
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our story
Proper Topper was founded
in 1990 with the hopeful dream of collecting and selling beautiful treasures. Happily,
customers have shared our loves and
made the dream reality.
Proper Topper’s collection of gifts, accessories, clothing,
jewelry, hats, and children's treasures has evolved over the years,
reflecting changing lives. Change continues daily, making the adventure ever more
fun.
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our inspiration
Proper Topper's motto is "wonders never cease," evidenced by the people all around us: our customers who
inspire us daily, the designers of our products
(fair-trade, women-owned, local and/or good-people businesses), and our wonderful staff.
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our people |
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Anna Fuhrman
Founder + President
Proper Topper reflects my earliest pursuits: collecting
treasured objects and convincing others (mostly my patient family) to love them. Although the "business" then was pretend, real seeds were planted.
With law school at Georgetown and a few years as a lawyer in between, I wound my way back to collecting
– and selling – things I love. I opened my first shop in 1990. Today, the ever-growing collection still echoes my earliest collections: bookends made of rocks; baby
clothes made of soft bamboo fiber; gifts and home accessories made of shells, horn, bamboo; fashion and millinery with a vintage
sensibility and retro glamour. |
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Proper Topper is a family affair. My husband, Joe, designs
the web site, helps guide the day-to-day life of the business, and
photographs all of the birds and bugs and nature that appear throughout. Our four-year-old Lucy and wonder dog Cassady make frequent
appearances in the shops and on this site. And many of the early collections still reside with my parents, Don & Win, in Oklahoma City, waiting for Lucy to explore. |
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Joe
Kerr
Director of Operations
Photographer, graphic designer, carpenter, music expert and
storyteller extraordinaire, Joe is “father” to the business, my husband,
and dad to Lucy and Cassady. He helps navigate the
daily adventures of Proper Topper with good cheer and great
creativity. And he stops to photograph a cool bug, animal or baby
whenever he gets the chance.
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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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