Brian Bolke Opens The Conservatory in Houston
The Conservatory, founded by Brian Bolke, will officially open its fourth outpost Friday in Houston’s River Oaks District, a 3,300-square-foot natural light-filled space in the outdoor shopping destination.
The brand debuted in March 2019 with a gallery in New York’s Hudson Yards and also has an outpost at Dallas’ Highland Park Village and The Conservatory on Two in Highland Park Village. Its Napa Valley, California pop-up store closed last December, as planned.
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The Conservatory’s Houston store and its website, theconservatorynyc.com, features more than 175 brands and 2,000 products. Categories include women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, jewelry, well-being (beauty and treatment, bath and body, and candles and fragrances), as well as living (decor and objects, books and paper, and gifts).
“We are bringing new brands, many with a focus on sustainability and unexpected edits to Houston — a discerning city where we are looking forward to becoming a part of the community,” Bolke said.
In 2014, Bolke sold Forty Five Ten, the Dallas-based specialty store he cofounded in 2000 to Headington Cos., and stayed on as president until August 2017. He then launched an independent consultancy, and spent the next months months formulating his concept for The Conservatory.
Built on what it calls “considered luxury,” key labels include Gabriela Hearst, Maison Margiela and Courreges, all exclusive to Houston, as well as Mugler, Lapointe, Philosophy, Michael Kors Collection, and Texas native, Brandon Maxwell. In accessories and jewelry, featured brands are Metier, Paul Andrew, Neous, Sidney Garber, Mallary Marks, Tabayer, Shihara and Lisa Eisner. Men’s brands will include Maison Margiela, NN07, Aspesi and Ron Dorff. Living brands will include Georg Jensen, Saved Cashmere, and Phaidon Books, while well-being includes Perfumer H, DS and Durga, The Harmonist, Costa Brazil, Susanne Kaufmann and Frama.
The one-level shop features custom American walnut furniture and a matte black metal leopard carpet. Black velvet upholstered deco chairs are mixed with vintage Frank Gehry chairs from the ’80s. Custom curtains have The Conservatory logo.
The opening will feature an art exhibition, including a large-format abstract painting by Dallas artist William Atkinson, courtesy of the Erin Cluley Gallery.
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