Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
Mary Robertson organizes her store, Nona Ruth’s.
Mary Robertson remembers that her grandmother used to host two parties in January. One was held on Friday night and one on Saturday night, so she could enjoy the same flowers all weekend. Because January temperatures were so cold, the food could simply be stored outside, long before families had multiple refrigerators.
Robertson has fond memories of her grandmother, Nona Ruth, and that legacy is what encouraged Robertson to name the store after her.
“I just think because of who she was,” Robertson said, “it was always a happy time at her house. She loved to decorate, she loved to entertain, and I wanted to honor her by naming the store after her.”
Photos by Savannah Schmidt.
Mary Robertson poses in front of the portrait of her grandmother.
A framed portrait of Nona Ruth hangs behind the counter.
Nona Ruth’s is a locally owned home décor and gift boutique offering everything from bridal and baby registries to home accessories, bedding, jewelry, children’s gifts and seasonal décor. The store also provides personalized gifts, decorating consultations, and holiday decorating services for homes and businesses.
For its first five years, Nona Ruth’s was in the yellow building on the corner near the intersection of Watterson Parkway and South Chalkville Road. But a conversation by the dumpster with her business neighbor Chase Nelms changed everything.
“I’m tired of paying rent to somebody else,” Nelms said.
“Me too,” Robertson responded.
That brief conversation sparked the idea for the building they now share just down the road.
Robertson has watched the city of Trussville grow as her business has grown. The city she has called home for years has evolved from a bedroom community into a destination.
“I feel like Trussville is finally a place where people can spend the day,” Robertson said.
One tradition Robertson knew she wanted to continue was the bridal registry. Inspired by a favorite gift store she visited years ago in Mississippi, Robertson arranges each bride’s selections on a display table so friends and family can see the collection together. Today, the store also offers baby registries, continuing the tradition of helping families celebrate life’s milestones. Bridal and baby registry purchases can also be made online.
Mary Robertson and employee Carlee Bennett.
Carlee Bennett is Robertson’s “Elmer” — the glue that, she said, holds things together. Bennett began her role as a part-time employee while she was in college. After graduation with a business degree, she was hired full-time and now manages social media, runs the hot stamping machine that does personalization, does many in-home installations and goes to market with Robertson.
Robertson and Bennett both agree that one of the store’s strengths is that they are both deeply involved in selecting merchandise. And although their tastes differ — Bennett is more “traditional” while Robertson is more “contemporary” — their different perspectives help them choose products that appeal to a wide range of customers.
“We don’t get anything that we don’t love,” Bennett said on how they choose merchandise. “When we love the product ourselves, it shows, and I think that excites the customer, too, because they see our excitement.”
Bennett’s social media efforts have helped extend the shop’s reach well beyond Trussville. After following a Mississippi influencer online, she reached out on a whim about decorating the woman’s home for Christmas. Within days, Bennett and Robertson were making the four-hour drive to transform the home for the holidays — an opportunity Robertson called “a big moment” for the business.
The amount of time Bennett spends doing the business’ social media varies depending on what is going on at the store. Sometimes she posts everyday personal stories to connect with customers personally.
“Even the little mundane things,” Bennett said. “I posted a video this week of Mary starting her sourdough journey just because it’s a fun way to connect with people, especially those who aren’t local or don’t get to come by the shop.”
While online shopping has changed retail, Robertson believes customers still crave something they can’t find on a website.
“People still want that human interaction,” Robertson said. “They want to touch and feel the product. They want somebody to validate their purchase. They want to interact with people. We try to treat everybody who walks in the door like they’re a friend and not a customer.”
The heart of the business is simple.
“If you love it, you can sell it,” Robertson said. “I think that’s been a big part of Nona Ruth’s — finding things that we believe in and we love, and then passing them along to the people who shop with us.”
In the years since opening the store in 2012, Robertson has built many cherished relationships with her customers.
“People will tell you anything over a candle,” Robertson said. “They come in for a candle, but they’ve poured out their soul to you. We have regulars who don’t buy every time they come in — they just pop in to say hi or tell us about something exciting going on in their lives. That’s what I love best about all of this. Take out all the pretty stuff — that’s what I enjoy the most.”
Looking at the portrait of Nona Ruth hanging above the counter, it’s easy to see that Robertson has done more than build a successful business. She has carried on a legacy of making people feel at home.
Nona Ruth’s is at 115 Watterson Parkway, Suite 101, in Trussville. For more information, visit nonaruths.com, call 205-655-6599, or follow the store on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
