Cobb Landmark’s executive director Trevor Beemon said the biggest surprise for the Root House was looking at visitation numbers after the first year it opened in 2019.

Nearly half of the people who visited the Root House Museum campus in Marietta, Georgia, only came to shop. In the years since, that has largely remained true.

“At first we were concerned that people weren’t as interested in touring the museum, but we soon realized that the gift shop we created had become a destination on its own,” he said, adding that an exhibit panel about the Root House and the Root family in the hallway gives shoppers the opportunity to learn about the museum and the significance of the site.

REBUILDING HISTORY

The Root House was built circa 1845 for Hannah and William Root, early settlers in Marietta. William was one of Marietta’s earliest merchants and its first druggest after moving to the city in 1839 to open a drug and mercantile store. The couple had four sons and one daughter and owned the house from 1845 to 1886.

By the late 1980s, the Root House had fallen into disrepair and was slated for demolition. After the house was formally documented as one of Marietta’s oldest buildings, preservation efforts began. In 1989, Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society acquired the house from Marguerite and William E. Bullard and the house was moved to its present location in Marietta. The exterior of the house was then restored to its 1845 appearance through architectural analysis.

Owned and managed by Cobb Landmarks, the Root House is one of the oldest and best-preserved houses remaining in the Atlanta area. The museum includes interactive exhibits including touchscreens, activity books and scavenger hunts that examine the lives of the Root family. The Root House was also named 2023 Museum of the Year by the Georgia Association of Museums.

The Root House had a half-million-dollar renovation and expansion in 2019, including the addition of the gift shop.

HISTORIC TREASURES

Beemon said the gift shop is a curated selection of locally crafted treasures and thoughtfully chosen mercantile goods.

“We’re passionate about supporting Georgia artisans and businesses, and our shelves are stocked with a variety of products made right here in the Peach State,” he said.

The Root House sources its products from Faire Wholesale, but also frequents local farmers markets and craft fairs to search for local artisans and creators the museum can collaborate with.

“We also don’t shy from reaching out to larger brands about wholesale,” he said. “Even though we are a small outfit, they are typically happy to have us carry their products.”

For heritage brands (companies in business over 100 years), the idea is to offer products that would have been available when William operated his store in Marietta during the 1800s.
These include products from companies like Thayers, J.R. Watkins, and C.O. Bigelow — which still use their 19th-century formulas to create lotions and soaps.

“It’s a balance between products crafted locally and products produced by large and established national brands,” Beemon said.

Some of the store’s bestsellers are Georgia-made products and items designed exclusively for the gift shop.

“Most shoppers really appreciate being able to purchase something they know they can only find in our store,” he said. Beemon said the Root House works with vendors to create custom designs for tea towels, flags, tote bags, clothing, magnets, mugs and more. They also created an exclusive line of candles with scents inspired by the Root House including Smokehouse, Cookhouse, Root House Garden, William’s Study, Apothecary and a signature Root House scent. Beemon said his favorite item in the store is the William’s Study candle scent.

“It reminds me of an old library filled with leather-bound books — with notes of bourbon and tobacco for good measure,” he said.

A customer favorite that visitors are always searching for is a local postcard.
“When we opened the gift shop, we did not sell postcards,” he said. “We quickly learned this was a mistake and had some printed featuring local landmarks.”

Beemon said the Root House decided early on that the shop had a specific aesthetic they wanted to maintain.

“We are always looking for items with vintage-inspired packaging,” he said. “We also select items we feel will pop against the muted colors of the log cabin and store fixtures, which are all a mix of natural or aged wood. We try to be playful and have fun, but to honor the history of the site.”