A. Dodson’s Opens Second Location In The Heart Of Ghent

For 10 years A. Dodson’s has been the little cottage on a hill in Suffolk, VA perched on scenic route 17. The welcoming front porch and squeaky screen door has led to a shopping oasis for countless folks who have dubbed A. Dodson’s their “happy place.” Today A. Dodson’s is expanding to a second location in the Ghent area of Norfolk. With two weeks before the grand opening, the A. Dodson’s team is tirelessly transforming an empty storefront into yet another shopping oasis where customers will delight in seeing the unexpected way items are merchandised, enjoy finding the perfect gift and be reminded how much character local businesses bring to a community.

If you ask owner Alison Dodson Anderson why she left a career in New York City 10 years ago with well-known brands like Donna Karan and Givenchy to set up a shop in Hampton Roads she’ll tell you quite simply it’s because this is home. She wanted to bring a new level of retail to Hampton Roads – one that focuses on the customer experience, gives back to the community, and creates a love of shopping locally.

How exactly does Anderson define a new level of retail? It’s one where customers are touched on all five senses as soon as they enter the store, where customers get goosebumps when they turn a corner, where customers experience something new each time they stop by to browse, and where the experience doesn’t cost a fortune. Put simply, A. Dodson’s is like yoga for retail.

As important as the retail experience is Anderson’s commitment to giving back. Anderson grew up in Chesapeake on the aisles of her grandfather’s General Store seeing how the customers who shopped there created the community she lived in. She watched her father, a local oral surgeon, give to his patients who couldn’t always afford the services they needed. She learned from her mother’s Antique Store in Suffolk how to run a smart business and form lifelong relationships with her customers. She turned all of these early experiences and lessons into the creation of A. Dodson’s – a local shop who gives back to the community every month through the A. Dodson’s Round Up program. To date, A. Dodson’s has matched the donations from 9970 customers to raise $9693.24 for local charities. With a passion for supporting all local retailers, A. Dodson’s elevates other shops by giving regular “shout outs” to them on Facebook through a “Small Business Everyday” post that shines a spotlight on the places A. Dodson’s employees love to shop!

Set to open the first week of October, A. Dodson’s will be located at 1611A Colley Avenue in Norfolk.