The Grand Tour, located in The Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach, Florida, curates home goods from around the world.
What originated as a travel-inspired tribute to family matriarch Marjorie “Dearie” Fisher has catapulted into an ever-evolving shop of carefully curated treasures from around the globe. Now, with one year of business under their belt — and a whimsical souk-themed anniversary celebration to boot — mother-daughter duo interior designer Caroline Rafferty and Julie Fisher Cummings have even bigger plans for The Grand Tour. Here, Rafferty shares what’s on the horizon for the Palm Beach boutique.
February marks a year since you opened The Grand Tour. Congratulations! What has been your most valuable takeaway?
Our main goal when we started thinking about the store was to create an experience. That feeling you get as a designer when you are sourcing in far-off locations or new cities — it’s about the journey, about meeting the artisans and creators of the items that you bring home with you. The biggest lesson we learned is that people in our community truly want to hear these stories and gather over shared passions that include design.
The Souk was such a unique way to commemorate your first year. How did the idea for the two-day fete and market come about?
I had the opportunity to visit the Medina in Fes, Morocco, with my husband last fall, and I said to him, “I want my party to feel exactly like this!” We spent the rest of the trip sourcing for the event, which led to the purchase of the 30 lanterns you saw in the tent.
What are some of your favorite picks currently available in-store at The Grand Tour?
If you made me choose, I would say the Baku glass pieces. I just love how unusual they are and the colors are just fantastic. There are also some new plates I designed while in Morocco. They remind me of the most amazing trip, and I love that I got to meet the artisans who made them.
What can we expect for the next year of business for The Grand Tour?
We will be honing our to-the-trade program and showroom. We are also hosting a “Meet the Makers” event in late spring so the local designers can meet the makers we stand behind.
