There’s a jazzy spot on the north side of the horseshoe in Westport that houses a quiet—yet admirable—collection of modern furniture. ModKota owner Dakota Hale has been in the business since 2014.
“It started as a hobby. I needed furniture and I started going to garage sales and it grew from there. I developed a taste for midcentury, retro, vintage, and modern. I bought some things that were in poor condition and learned to refurbish,” he said.
As is not unusual for people who become passionate about something (or obsessed), Hale acquired more furniture than he could house and started selling on Craigslist. His current spot offers a nice selection of pieces that have good lines from those without pedigree to well-known makers such as Paul McCobb and Danish Modern designers Kai Kristiansen and Svend Madsen.
Even as his business grows, Hale can still have trouble letting go.
“I’ve had items that I wanted to hang on to. There was this De Sede DS 600 sofa…” he said wistfully like a man remembering a lover who got away. “But it is a business.”
Open by appointment. modkota@gmail.com