Interview 5: Laura Lemon
Photo: Ashley Hurst
I met Laura Lemon just after she moved to town from San Francisco six years ago. We were introduced by a mutual friend, the real estate pro who helped broker the deal for the East Nashville retail property that she had just leased — a space that was destined to become the first location of Lemon Laine, her groundbreaking natural beauty and wellness company.
Because of my background in fashion and beauty and my relatively long tenure in Nashville (18 years this month!), I frequently find myself at coffee with aspiring entrepreneurs in those areas who are interested in launching their business in Nashville. To be completely honest, more than half of these meetings are duds. Most people come to me without doing their homework, and are unprepared or under-informed about the realities of making their Big Idea come to fruition. Not gonna lie: it can be frustrating.
This was not the case with Laura. Her ducks weren’t only in a row, they were already marching in straight formation. She immediately impressed me with her deep background in natural beauty, consulting for companies like Goop and Walmart, and her well-researched and documented plans for Lemon Laine. She had comps, a vision for the branding, and an outline for expansion already in her arsenal. All the details were all there.
Not only was I thoroughly impressed by Laura’s business smarts, I was also very charmed by her as a person. Laura is warm, smart, funny, positive and — as you’d expect from a woman whose main business is beauty — absolutely radiant. I knew from the minute I sat down that I had made a new friend.
Today, Lemon Laine is kicking all kinds of ass, both here in Nashville and at its Houston location. Laura’s on-point merchandising, eye for design (and local talent: she was among the first retailers to employ the design savants at New Hat to make custom wallpaper), and inventive educational and social programming (for example: Lemon Laine’s Galentine’s party, slated for next Thursday) guaranteed that her stores were hits right out of the gate. And she’s just getting started.
I would have ended this intro with that last line, but that means I wouldn’t get to mention Laura’s incredible “support staff,” including her husband Evan and toddler daughter Ella, aka the Cutest Baby in Nashville. Salute!
— Libby
Photo of Laura by Ashley Hurst; Photo 9 by Martin Sundberg
What’s your name? Laura Lemon
Where were you born? I was born in Austin, Texas, but I grew up in Tulsa.
Did you have any nicknames growing up? SO many! Lars, Lollicans, Lemon, Lolly, Lo Pants, Lollipop, Lemon Drop… I’m not sure what that says about me LOL. My family still calls me Lolly. That one has had the most staying-power.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Makeup artist. If they would have let me, I would’ve spent the night in Sephora.
What do you do now? I am the founder of Lemon Laine, a natural beauty and wellness shop based in Nashville.
How long have you lived in Nashville? Six years
Which Nashville neighborhood do you live in? East Nashville
Tell us some things that are rocking your world at the moment:
To wear: My Minnie Lane Rosie Ring (1). I’ve also been eyeing her charm necklaces, too (2). I love how she embraces the female form in her jewelry. It’s such a playful accessory to add to a t-shirt-and-jeans kind of day.
To eat: Spread Market’s sourdough loaf with a slather of their creamiest butter on top (3). I’m always a sucker for fresh bread and butter. Spread is opening a market in Germantown later this year, but you can place an order online for their bread and butter in the meantime. You can thank me later! ;)
At home: I come from a long line of incredible painters. Growing up, an original piece of art was on every wall. I’ve been slow to build my own art collection, but recently my aunt, Cathy Deuschle (4), gifted me two of her sketches. I just had them framed and I’m over the moon with how they turned out!
To listen: SmartLess with comedian hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett (5). It never fails to make me laugh. And not just like a small chuckle, but a good belly laugh. And for music, Deja by Bomba Estéreo (6). You can not not be in a good mood after listening to them!
To watch: C'mon, C'mon with Joaquin Phoenix is a tear-jerker but in the most beautifully human way (7).
Local favorite: Radish Kitchen (8). I would eat there every day if I could. This is my formal plea for my friend and RAD owner, Amanda Frederickson, to open a location in East Nashville. ;)
What words best describe your personal style? I value comfort and fit over most everything else, except when it comes to shoes.
What’s the best style advice you’ve ever received or a fashion rule you live by? Lighting cures all.
What’s your favorite piece in your closet and why? My great grandmother’s bell-sleeve fur coat from the ’’20s.
What’s your favorite space in your home and why? My bed. I have way too many pillows, but I love it. It feels tranquil and is a place I can actually relax in our house full of two goldendoodles and a toddler.
What’s your favorite road trip you’ve ever taken? The drive from San Francisco to Point Reyes Station (9). I wish I could bottle up the aroma of the ocean air mixed with the cypress trees and yellow lupine. It might be my favorite smell in the world. Make sure to stop at Hog Island Oyster for a beautiful view while drinking champagne and eating fresh oysters. Photo Credit: Martin Sundberg
What’s a road trip you want to take next? I’d love to drive from town to town in the Cotswolds.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever given? My mom celebrated her 60th birthday during the pandemic. Since she couldn’t get together with her friends and family, I made her a “Happy Birthday” instagram page. It was filled with memories and well wishes from all of her favorite people including a celebrity cameo from Richard Karn — aka Al from the ’90s family show “Home Improvement (10).”
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? I can’t say I have a favorite gift. Gifts are so uniquely of-the-moment, so something would feel off to say that a gift I received last year is better than one I received when I was 15. I do have a favorite gifter, though: my Mom. Her gifts are always the most thoughtful, timely and genuine. She sets the bar real high.
My parents divorced when I was pretty young so I don’t have many keepsakes other than a few pictures of my parents together. Unbeknownst to me, my mom had saved every piece of jewelry that my dad had gifted her in those early years. About a year ago, she surprised me with two diamond necklaces that she had re-worked from a piece my dad had gifted her after I was born. I wear them every day as a reminder of the admiration and respect my parents have always put first even though they were no longer together.
WILD CARD!
What three beauty essentials do you always carry in your purse?
De Mamiel Altitude Oil (11). I place a drop on my wrists or even on the back of my mask if I’m needing a pick-me-up. It has a peppermint aroma, but it’s more complex than that because it’s formulated by one of the best aromatherapists and herbalists in the beauty biz, Anne de Mamiel herself.
Kosas Sport Lip Fuel (12). I can’t leave the house without one of these. Think part Chapstick, part lipstick. My favorite shade is Flow – a peachy, nude pop of color.
My Lemon Laine peach scrunchie (13).