Artistic and Eclectic Flair | Fern of Highlands

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: October 2023 | Photograph By: Susan Renfro

Brooke Wilson and Samantha Perkins

Welcome to October, the 10th month of the year.  Only two months to go before Christmas. There’s still time to shop. But it’s time to get going. And the place to go to is Fern of Highlands at 255 Spring Street, beside Brookings Fly Fishing.  The newly-built shop exudes an irresistible rustic charm with its sage green exterior and interior décor of tin-clad walls, barn wood accents, wooden plank floors.     

With merchandise worthy of all the recent buzz, Fern reflects the distinct personality and flair of its two owners, Brooke Wilson and Samantha Perkins. Wilson, who opened Fern in April 2023, made her way to Highlands from Baldwin, Georgia, where she worked for the state of Georgia. The store’s name pays homage to her profound connection to her family history and her great grandmother who had an enduring love for ferns. Shoppers will be delighted to note how the name resonates with the essence of the store and the merchandise. 

Perkins joined Wilson shortly after the store’s opening, and she brings a long history of retail experience and local knowledge to the business. A native of Franklin with an impressive 16-year tenure at Highlands’ beloved kitchen shop, The Dry Sink, she has a keen understanding of customer service and a deep familiarity with the residents and visitors of Highlands. 

Together the partners bring an artistic and eclectic flair to Fern and the Highlands retail community.  Shopping at Fern feels more like visiting with old friends while you peruse a carefully-curated collection of clothing, accessories, handbags, and shoes. 

The shop reflect the partners’ commitment to quality and craftsmanship – and reflects their stated mission: “Empowering women through fashion.”  Fern boasts a truly stunning clothing section – from casual wear to tasteful and elegant dresses, the collection is an expression of an overall aesthetic that melds sophistication with comfort and style.

Recommended gifts include cozy, fluffy slippers for anyone continuing to work from home (or not), and hard-to-find bar soap options including Maui exfoliating loofah soaps.  A selection of throws, including those artist-designed and others in chenille knit are perfect for those friends that like to lean into lazy Sunday afternoons. 

A passion for curating unique handcrafted items is evident everywhere in the store – in bracelets ethically crafted from women artisans in Nepal, teak vases made by craftsman in Indonesia, and baskets handmade by the Mayan women in Guatemala. Candle enthusiasts will find much to love – from those that pay homage to craft cocktails to ones with woodsy notes and humorous sayings.  

More than just a retail store, Fern of Highlands is an escape from the ordinary. Shop fernhighlands.com or, of course, stop in at 255 Spring Street.