Minty Keen boutique moves to high-visibility location, still has delightful surprises in store

Minty Keen, a shop specializing in nifty and creative handcrafted gift items, jewelry, and art, decided to celebrate its third year in a big way: by getting smaller. The colorful shop with its vintage-inspired displays and minimalist atmosphere moved from over 1,000 square feet near Ottawa Avenue and Pearl St. NW to just 400 square feet in MoDiv, 40 Monroe Center Ave. NW.

"At Ottawa and Pearl, I was off the beaten path. My lease was up, and I wanted a place on the main street," says owner Angie Seabert.

Seabert, who has a penchant for cat-eye glasses and 1950s anything, smiles and laughs as she talks about the freedom of dressing a smaller boutique space and having ready-made neighbors of other shop owners at MoDiv, a multi-shop retail incubator.  

"The shop is more streamlined, and I can focus on handmade by local artisans," she says. "I'm hoping that, because I've been in business three years and have established customers, I can bring some business to MoDiv."

Minty Keen's niche is quirky greeting cards, local postcards, vintage books-become-journals, handmade jewelry that includes items made from vintage watch gears, and a selection of handcrafted ceramic buttons that would make any DIY crafter giddy.

Clothing offerings include unusual screen-printed Tees for kids and adults, hand-knit arm warmers and leg warmers, and bright and cheerful winter scarves and ear warmers sewn from upcycled sweaters. (The ear warmers have ultra-soft cashmere linings.)

Seabert still offers a selection of her vintage items at two online shops, MintyKeen.com and Etsy.com/shop/MintyKeen.

Since Minty Keen is a family affair, with Seabert "manning" the shop, husband Brad doing deliveries and heavy lifting, and their two sons, ages 8 and 5, playing Legos in the back room, one shouldn't be surprised to get a little gift selection help from a wee one.

"A customer was here and my five-year-old said, 'I know where there are some earrings!' and the lady bought them," Seabert says with a laugh.

I mean, how could you not?

Hours: Tues., Weds. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Thurs. 11 - 7; Fri. 11 - 6; Sat. 11 - 5; Sundays in December, noon - 4.

Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor