Mary Carol Garrity is happy to be back.
If you furnished a home before 2019, Garrity may have helped you. She founded Nell Hill’s, which grew from the small store in Atchison, Kansas, into the 27,000-square-foot home interior store in the Village at Briarcliff today. In late 2018, after a lifetime in retail, she sold the business and retired.
“Probably the first few years, I loved retirement,” says Garrity. “It happened to be about the same time as Covid, and I just did nothing. And then I kind of got the itch.”
She missed the relationships. She missed helping people. And she missed the low pressure of smaller stores, like her father’s clothing store in Atchison, Kansas.
In April of this year, Garrity and her business partner, fellow retailer Rebecca Wood, opened Diebolt’s, a home accessory store in Midtown’s Gillham House Antiques.
“Nell Hill’s was seven days a week, all consuming. This one is really like playing store. We’re a mix of vintage and new—we’re probably heavier on the vintage—and we’re just having fun with it. It’s kind of like a two-day party.”
Diebolt’s shares a name and logo with Garrity’s father’s original clothing store. It’s 400 square feet, 100 of which is porch, and it’s open on Fridays and Saturdays. It doesn’t sell furniture, but add-ons that bring joy to get-togethers—things like china, centerpieces, and decor too fun to categorize. They regularly refresh the items and exchange ideas with their customers, many of whom Garrity originally developed friendships with at Nell Hill’s.
“Everybody who comes in the door is happy to be there. There’s not one necessity in Diebolt’s. It’s all just for fun.”
Mary Carol’s essentials...
Dinner Out: Since I love to eat, it would be pretty hard to narrow my favorite restaurant to just one. However, I recently stumbled upon Osteria Bianchi in North Kansas City. From the amazing focaccia bread appetizer to the grilled steak, I was in heaven.
Hidden Gem: Gillham House Antiques is my favorite hidden gem, so much so it is where my partner and I opened Diebolt’s. While Diebolt’s is a mix of new, vintage, and antique finds, Gillham House Antiques is a collective of some of Kansas City’s finest antique dealers.
Crafted Cocktail: For me, nothing beats sitting at the bar in Earl’s Premier and having a frozen gin and tonic. They make it with J. Rieger & Co. Midwestern Dry Gin, and it is perfection.
Swoonworthy Scent: My favorite scent for the holidays is Tree Farm. This November we will be launching Tree Farm under the Diebolt’s brand. It hits the mark for that fresh-cut evergreen scent so many people love to have in their homes over the holidays.
Caffeine Fix: I am a simple girl at heart, and a creature of habit! My favorite caffeine fix is a hot latte from Scooter’s Coffee on Burlington Street and 26th Avenue on my way to Diebolt’s. Espresso plus hot, frothy milk—be still, my beating heart.
Local Maker: Recently, my dear friend Kristin Holton launched Estately. Estately offers luxury antique and contemporary tabletop rentals that are exquisite. I love how she mixes dishes, flatware, and textiles to create something truly magical.