Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Goudy.
Hi Amy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Thank you so much for your interest in our little shop all the way out in Charlotte.
I was born in Chicago but my family moved to the Valley when I was a kid. I grew up hitting the Paladium and The Roxy in the mid 80s. Living in San Pedro I was close to the Long Beach scene when Hip Hop was just getting started. I even saw Dr Dre open for DJ Quik and he brought out Snoop…I think it was his first time on stage!
I moved to Denver during the Golden Age in the mid 90’s and I started promoting shows and I met a lot of rappers during that time and started getting involved in the industry. I moved to Charlotte in 2000. Around 2010 I began mentoring a number of young men in the city who wanted to make music and ultimately that is where “Miss Amy” came to be, I was helping them with the careers, giving advice etc.
When the opportunity arose for me to open the shop I saw it as a chance to marry my love of hip hop, my desire to foster and support artists in all mediums and provide a safe space all at one time…and selling cool things is an extra added bonus.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have been blessed in as much that I have a career that supports my lifestyle and allowed me to open the shop without the pressures most retail business owners face. We had our grand opening a week before the Covid restrictions went to effect so that wasn’t the best scenario but we have a ecommerce platform on our website so people could still order from us and when Charlotte lifted the in person restrictions we were able to open back up easily.
The biggest challenge for us has just been getting people to come in the store. We are located in a suburban neighborhood so people have to make a choice to come see us, but it has also made us a kinda of niche location which in some ways has worked in our favor.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Corner?
We call ourselves “A Corner of Culture in the Burbs” mainly because Charlotte has some pockets of hip/cool retail closer to the city, but we are unique in that we are a gift shop that focuses on hard to find and unique items tied to hip hop culture. Most other shops are more geared towards apparel. We also have event space and a stairwell that we call “The Tiniest Art Gallery in the South” where we feature pieces from local artists.
In the past we have had album release parties, open mic ciphers and celebrations for Travis Scott’s Bday and Biggie’s Anniversary of the Ready To Die album release.
Some of the other products we have available are Funko Pops!, select items from Virgil Abloh’s Markerad collection with IKEA and UNO Artist collection decks.
If you know of Apt 4B on Fairfax, that was one of the inspirations, just having a space people want to hang out and chill even if they don’t buy anything, it’s an experience, that is what we are trying to offer. Come in, have some of our Corner Roast coffee, post up on the couch and watch the latest videos.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Charlotte or L.A? Having grown up in the Los Angeles Area, from Granada Hills to Lennox, Inglewood and Redondo Beach, I miss the food more than anything. When I moved to Charlotte all they had was Bojangles and Waffle House, it was depressing. But I paid less than $300K for a 3500sqft house, so there are tradeoffs.
I think L.A. is the American Dream in that you can do anything and be anyone there. From one neigborhood to the next you can be on the block or next to a celebrity,. I think Tiffany Haddish still lives in South Central. But it is crazy expensive and if you don’t have a car you are stuck.
Charlotte is perfect for me, the weather is never too extreme, we have all four seasons, right now there are flowers everywhere. I live 20 min from the airport so I can get to NY for a day trip but also Miami, Atlanta and D.C.
They finally have good sushi and I just found someplace with Tri Tip, so Im happy. I miss L.A. but I wouldn’t move back.
Pricing:
- Event Space $85 per hour (3-hour minimum).
- All Funko POPS! is on the website and follows PPG pricing.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@thecornerclt.com
- Website: www.thecornerclt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecornerclt/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecornerclt/
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/TheCornerCLT
Image Credits
Carousel Kathryn Walker
