Meet Anne Powell Elle Varnell | Lovely Vintage Rug Co

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anne Powell Elle Varnell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anne Powell, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Far and away our success completely matters on our personal communication and involvement with our customers! We so enjoy our interactions with our beloved customers. We want them to feel that we are invested in their decision, can help support them in the process, and create an environment they enjoy during the buying process. Early on we focused on the value of making our customers feel like their interaction with us was personal and that we cared from start to finish. We never want them to feel like we take them purchasing from us for granted, because we don’t!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Anne started this company during a bathroom renovation of her Dallas home. She purchased a vintage Turkish rug, and after constant compliments from her houseguests, she was curious if these rugs could spark joy in other homes as well. After securing a supplier in Turkey, she started the process of sharing these rugs on instagram and found that, yes, others loved these beauties too! She moved to Nashville in 2022 and convinced (as only a sister can!) Elle to be involved in her business. With the growth of the company, we have secured other suppliers to keep up the inventory with the demand. Nashville has been extremely receptive to a small female owned business, but we continue to ship to all over the country! With a background in real estate and nursing, we are learning a lot of the business principles on the job. The benefit of owning your own company is that when you see you are making a mistake, you have the ownership to pivot. As we grow, we find ourselves pivoting often to keep up and continue to support our loyal customers! Our customers have been so receptive and supportive; they are our joy!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Elle lives in Green Hills and Anne lives in Stephen’s Valley near Franklin. Together we have 6 young children, two dogs, one cat….so the itinerary would be based around nap and soccer games schedules! We would definitely have a hike around Radnor Lake followed by breakfast tacos at LadyBird Taco. The afternoon would be spent shopping around 12th South and Sevier Park….and we’ve been enjoying the new “The Henry” restaurant for dinner! We love “Old Glory” for a good night cap!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our shoutout goes straight back to our LVR (Lovely Vintage Rug) community! They are a supportive base of customers who are always passing along the word to their friends. Countless times we hear “oh my friend told me about you guys,” and that is thrilling!

The other shoutout is to siblings everywhere! We are two sisters, and it’s undeniable that the bond of sisterhood has been instrumental to our success. Family is everything, and it is a joy to share in this journey together.

Instagram: @lovelyvintagerugco