Whether it’s a young married couple fresh out of college, a 30-something living the single life or the soon-to-retire weekend warrior, people always need items to complete a home. Walls are filled with art, decorative carpets are rolled out and furniture is arranged for the quintessential feng shui.
Baton Rouge’s own Studio C arrived on the shopping scene roughly two years ago and since has hoped to bring its customers a selection of products and art for the young and old alike. Located on Government Street, Studio C opened with the hopes of helping to renew Mid City.
The shop is owned and operated by longtime business partners Damien Boisvert and Greg Vernice. Following their return from doing design work in Costa Rica, the duo looked to open a “design studio, general store hybrid.” The store takes its name from Boisvert and Vernice’s original Costa Rican design workshop Studio Caracol.
“‘Caracol’ is Spanish for ‘shell,’” Vernice said. “We wanted to keep that, but we wanted to shorten it so that it wasn’t a weird word and everybody could understand.”
Boisvert and Vernice have extensive history in business and design. Before moving to Costa Rica, the two owned three stores in New York, which provided clothing and home furnishings. When their interest turned toward design, the three locations began to specialize in furnishings and design.
Citing the time he spent in New York, Vernice explained the use of contemporary music and products with an appeal to the younger eye are a result of his wish to be as current as possible.
“I like to be as current as you think you are,” Vernice said. “I like music a lot and always have. I kind of grew up in the East Village in the ’80s and cut our teeth in lower Manhattan. You grow older and your taste changes.”
 Studio C gives customers an atmosphere filled with current, popular music and an espresso bar located behind the counter. Vernice doesn’t take the layout of his store too seriously. Studio C’s wares are displayed throughout its three rooms, most of which have handmade labels with descriptions, prices and jokey commentaries.
“The aesthetic is pretty consistent,” Vernice said. “We like a mixture of old and new, a mixture of texture and always something humorous.”
The store bills itself as offering “provisions for living.” This concept is actually one of the themes displayed within its three showrooms. 
Divided into a foyer, main room and back room, Studio C makes the most of its finite floor space. These “provisions” include handy objects to service everyday needs like bottle openers, clothing hooks and a tube-wringer, a personal favorite of Vernice, which works to empty toothpaste and
paint tubes.
“[The room] is still really in a germination phase,” Vernice said. “That’s something we want to concentrate on this year. We have the store pretty much where we want it, so we’re looking at all the productions.”
Though Studio C is considerably smaller than the average thrift store, Boisvert and Vernice hope to take advantage of a backyard garden for social events and casual relaxation for customers. Since opening, the shop has been successful in holding book signings and showcases.
Among its assortment of potential gifts and personal knick-knacks, Vernice said some of the shop’s most popular items are decorative driftwood pieces painted red and nautical watercolor paintings made by Vernice himself.
For everything else, Boisvert and Vernice rely on their design experience to find potential sale items. The two travel to New Orleans, parts of Alabama and search online to pick out items with the look and character found in Studio C’s other wares. By working with dealers, they are able to satisfy their taste for a lived-in practicality.
“We feel like most people don’t live with everything new or everything old,” Vernice said. “Most people live the right combination of things that are brand new and things that are ready for the garbage can. We kind of want to present things the way people live.”
Vernice finds Baton Rouge to be a relatively difficult city to operate a place like Studio C. Its location on Government Street makes finding the shop a bit of a trek, while many downtown businesses are within walking distance. Despite these concerns, Vernice sees the makeup of his customers ranging from young apartment owners to older families with larger estates.
“When we started out, we wanted to be sure and inviting for everybody,” Vernice said.
Vernice has high hopes and big ideas for the store’s future. He hopes that with the coming opening of the nearby Chicory Coffee, the vision of a social hub will come to life. He has even considered making agreements with local food trucks to park on the open space across from Studio C to create more
customer traffic.
At first glance, one can easily find many similarities between Studio C’s products and items found in the monthly care package subscription Birchbox: toiletries, a number of clothing items and even some cosmetic products. 
However, Vernice sees Studio C as something more than a place to pick up your newest potholder — it’s a one-stop spot to enjoy yourself and meet, or make, friends.
“We kind of see this as a gathering place that just happens to sell things,” Vernice said. “A place to come to, have a coffee, read a book and chat.” 
You can reach Gerald Ducote on Twitter @geraldducoteTDR.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Ronni Bourgeois

Studio C, located on 3786 Government Street, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.