Nikki Dalrymple, owner of Acquire
Nikki Dalrymple knew there’d be room in town for a home-design boutique with a stellar selection of handpicked objects and re-imagined vintage furnishings — especially in the North End, a neighborhood enjoying a retail renaissance. So the former television producer took a job at Good in Beacon Hill to learn the biz, and once she did, she wasted no time setting up her own shop at Acquire. “I’ve never been averse to risk,” she admits. Not that relying on impeccable taste seems all that unsound. Dalrymple buys on instinct and arranges her wares around cohesive themes. When we chatted, she was transitioning out of an industrial aesthetic into a mood more suited to warmer weather. She indulged us with a sneak peek: there will be lots of soft blues and grays, with shell pieces and nautical photographs, plus mid-century pieces like Bertoia chairs perfect for the deck and garden. As for career visions, Dalrymple would love to open an annex, so one store could focus on small accessories and the other on furniture and lighting. “That’s my dream world,” she says.

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