Jack McCown grew up in the design world in Mobile. His grandfather, Tommy McCown, a well-known builder in Mobile and the Eastern Shore was known for his creative, architecturally inspired homes. His father, Vance McCown, is a commercial and residential contractor, and his brother, Robert McCown, is a local architect who designs beautiful custom-built homes regionally. To say Jack comes by it naturally is an understatement.

At the outset of his career, Jack sold antiques for Peter Farguson, who owns three antique stores in Fairhope: Crown and Colony, Aubergine, and RF Architectural & Garden Antiques. “Peter is a hard worker and was like a father figure to me. I learned a lot about the business from him. We just hit it off.”

When Jack’s husband, Andy Freeman, an attorney with Adams Reese, stopped by Atchison Home in Mobile to shop for some office furniture, he asked Tony Atchison whether he would be interested in selling the business. Tony and his wife, Sylvia, opened Atchison Home in the early 80s and built it into one of the best-known antique, design, and home furnishing showrooms in the area. Jack’s brother Robert was already officing in the building, and Tony began considering their business succession. 

“It just worked out,” said Jack. “We were honored that Tony and Sylvia would consider the transition. It couldn’t have been more seamless.” That was five years ago. Peter Farguson was excited for Jack and there is very little overlap in their businesses. “We will always carry antiques, as it is part of our aesthetic, but is not our major focus.,” says Jack. “We recently went to Italy on a buying trip. It was a lot of fun but exhausting.”

Atchison Home recently opened a second showroom, located at 561 Fairhope Avenue in the Portico building. “Half, if not more, of our client base, is in the Eastern Shore area,” says Jack. “We were attracted to the building. It’s thoughtfully put together and convenient. We wanted a place that would inspire people. Clients want their home to reflect the style and taste that Atchison Home represents.”

The new Fairhope location took several years to find. Both stores are designed to be destination places to shop. Jack says, “We anticipate that people are coming with a purpose and need convenient parking access to have time to look around and consult. We try to educate the customer about what look they want, to offer more of a customized consultation experience to make it work properly and last a long time.” 

As far as antiques go, Jack says they look for one-of-a-kind pieces. “Old pieces help keep a certain charm. If everything is brand new, then it just seems a little off.” Most everything Atchison Home sells is handcrafted in North Carolina and meant to be a forever piece. “We try not to be trendy. We want things to last a lifetime.” According to Jack, people still like the good, clean look of white but clients are beginning to embrace color more. 

Jack says the strength of Atchison Home is the design aspect of their team. “Everyone here has a lot of experience, and we are fortunate to have people who are passionate about what we do. We work well together and toss ideas around for all our projects to make it a collaborative experience.” Atchison Home designers work the floor every day, so there is always someone to offer professional advice to help customers make good decisions. “Our design team is as strong as it’s ever been,” says Jack.

Atchison Home can help with outdoor furnishing too. Jack says, “Outdoor furniture can be tricky. It’s hard to mix with indoor furnishing. It’s really part of our holistic design process for everything to work together. What about Covid? “Covid was interesting. We became busier and busier as people were building houses. Design jobs are always important, even if retail slows down a bit. We do a lot of bath and kitchen remodeling too.” 

I asked Jack about supply chain issues. He said that thankfully, the home construction process took so long that they could keep up with furniture order deliveries by the time homes were ready to receive them. The 30 to 40-week delivery schedules are now down to 10 to 15 weeks. “Regardless of supply chain issues, it’s important to get in on the front end of a project to create a more cohesive, finished look.  Our best projects are working with architects and builders early on to create a seamless flow for the entire property according to the client’s taste.”

What’s on the horizon? “People still like to come to touch and feel the furniture. There are so many different options with fabrics to upgrade existing pieces,” says Jack. They have just renovated in Mobile, including an all-new design center, and the entire store now resides within the ground floor space. “We will have our first Open House in January for the Fairhope location. We encourage everyone to get on our mailing list for upcoming events.”

Both Atchison Home locations are warm and inviting and have such a good feeling. Tony and Sylvia Atchison set the standard in home furnishings and style, and Jack is in his element and carrying the torch. “I love what I do and the team we have here…they are like family,” he says. Stop by, say hello, and look for what’s next in elegance and refined living.