Home Sweet Haven:
Love, Laughter,
and Local Craftsmanship.
Our story
In July of 2023, two long-time friends decided to push back their retirement a few more years to do something they love in partnership with a good friend. Today you will find Tracy O’Connor-McGraw and Carol Mann Slowik happily staging their store, chatting with their customers, and sharing the adventures of business ownership.
Very personable and committed to their business, Tracy and Carol really enjoy their work - and the customers who wander into their store. “A lot of local people like to shop here for gifts. There’s something for everybody,” says Carol. Out-of-town visitors make them smile when they ask where to find the “rest of Flat Rock”. “I just tell them, ‘You’ve found it,’” Tracy says with a laugh.
Carol especially enjoys watching her customer’s reactions to the items that she and Tracy work so hard to find and put on display. “I love watching people get joy out of our stuff. To hear them laugh at our tea towels or when they tell us how much they love the store.”
Curated with care
Dogwood offers an eclectic mix of items and, although crammed packed with an amazing assortment of merchandise, never feels cluttered or overwhelming. The shop carries home goods, garden items, gifts, local crafts, and anything else that captures the eyes and imagination of the new owners. “I think the variety is why our customers like our store,” says Carol. “We have a lot of different things for a lot of different types of people and our prices reflect that as well.”
Carol and Tracy also enjoy being part of the colorful collection of shops and businesses that make up Little Rainbow Row. As a long-time Flat Rock resident, Tracy appreciates the tradition reflected in the business district. “I love it. It’s a nod to Charleston and honors the history of the people that always came up here in the summers and helped create Flat Rock.”
These days, visitors to Dogwood will find the new owners working together on most Saturdays and chatting amiably with customers, old and new. Their enjoyment is obvious through their smiles and the way they talk about the store. Indeed, for customers stepping into the small shop with a big heart, it’s easy to feel Carol’s and Tracy’s positive energy radiating throughout the store - two old friends embarking on a new adventure and loving the chance to join forces once again - this time as the new co-owners of Dogwood.
Home
Garden
Gifts
“From start to finish, shopping at Dogwood with Tracy and Carol is always fun and rewarding. Their selection has something for everyone I shop for. Dogwood is the perfect place to find the perfect gift.”
— Tabitha S.