The Picket Fence is a quaint home goods and gift shop located in Burke Centre. Inside the store you can find an eclectic mix of vintage and new home goods and gifts including dinnerware, glassware, candles, picture frames, decorative kitchen towels, games, books, stuffed animals, jewelry, artwork and seasonal decor.
Billie and Courtney Thomas are the mother-daughter powerhouse behind The Picket Fence. The Thomas’ came to Burke when Mr. Thomas was on active duty. They traveled all over the world and when it came time to retire, they chose Burke as their retirement city.
Retail is in their blood. Billie’s Mom was a store owner when Billie was growing up in Iowa and Billie managed Temptations, a gift shop in Burke, for many years. Courtney worked in retail during high school and college. When Temptations closed down, Billie and Courtney were ready to open their own gift shop and The Picket Fence was born.
Antique Pop-Up Shop
When they opened the shop 15 years ago, they wanted to make sure it had a homey feel. To accomplish this they purchased some antique pieces to display products in the store. They developed a love for antiques when they were living in Germany. Immediately, customers asked if they could buy the antique pieces. Seeing an opportunity to satisfy their love of antiques and share it with customers – Billie and Courtney started going to antique shows to buy specific pieces for the shop. They now do an annual pop-up shop with goods from their antique shopping trip and have antique pieces that are all available for sale.
Pandemic Pivot
During the pandemic, Billie and Courtney were committed to being a resource for their loyal customers. Courtney had the idea to offer to deliver products to folks at their home. She took pictures of everything in the store and posted on social media. Courtney says puzzles were a big hit during the pandemic. “We had puzzles and a lot of folks at home were looking for a way to pass the time.” That progressed into doing Easter baskets, Mother’s Day baskets and teacher gifts all while being closed. They eventually offered curbside pick-up until they were able to re-open the store.
If you are looking for a special gift for someone or want to treat yourself, stop by the Picket Fence and say hello to Courtney and Billie. You can also find them on Instagram and Facebook.
The Picket Fence
6025D Burke Centre Pkwy
Burke, VA 22015
