Small Business Spotlight: The Gathered Room
Credit: The Gathered Room
In Medfield, The Gathered Room is more than a shop: it’s a beautifully layered space where artistry, heritage, storytelling, and community come together. Located inside the historic building at 505 Main Street, the store blends New England warmth with global craftsmanship, creating an atmosphere that feels both deeply rooted and wonderfully worldly. In this interview, founder Anjini Mishra shares the inspiration behind the space, the importance of intentional living, and the vision for building a gathering place centered around creativity, culture, and meaningful connection.
Life in Mass (LIM): For readers discovering The Gathered Room for the first time, how would you describe it in your own words?
The Gathered Room (TGR): The Gathered Room is a curated cultural common — a space where home, heritage, artistry, and community come together. Inspired by the warmth of a classic New England gathering place and enriched by global craftsmanship, we bring together thoughtfully selected goods for everyday living, gifting, and meaningful connection.
Our rooms are designed almost like chapters of a home — from kitchen and tableware to textiles, apothecary, vintage finds, art, wellness, and handcrafted decor — each filled with pieces made by independent makers, artisans, and small businesses from both New England and beyond.
At its heart, The Gathered Room is about stories: the stories behind the makers, the traditions behind the craft, and the memories people create in the spaces they call home. We want visitors to feel inspired, welcomed, curious, and deeply connected the moment they walk through the door.
LIM: The name itself is so evocative! What drew you to the idea of a “gathered room,” and what does it mean to you personally?
TGR: The name “The Gathered Room” came from the idea of a room where people naturally come together — to linger, converse, celebrate, reflect, and feel at home. I was deeply inspired by the old New England tradition of parlors and gathering rooms that were once the emotional heart of a home, spaces filled with warmth, storytelling, hospitality, and layered memories.
Personally, the name also reflects my own journey. As someone with South Asian roots building a life and business here in New England, I wanted to create a space that feels rooted in both worlds. There is a beautiful balance between preserving one’s heritage and assimilating into a new place with openness and curiosity. Through The Gathered Room, I wanted to bring elements of South Asian craftsmanship, artistry, philosophy, and ways of gathering into conversation with the culture, history, and aesthetic rootedness of New England.
To me, it’s not just about showcasing products from different cultures — it’s about creating mutual appreciation and exchange. Bringing something meaningful from our own traditions, while also learning from others and honoring the communities we now call home. That spirit of gathering — of people, stories, histories, crafts, and perspectives — is really at the heart of what this space means to me.
LIM: You’re blending South Asian craft with New England sensibility. How did that vision come to life?
TGR: The vision came to life quite organically because, in many ways, South Asian and New England aesthetics already share a long and layered history of cultural exchange. There has been centuries of intermixing in art, textiles, decorative traditions, trade, architecture, and domestic life — particularly through the historical relationship between South Asia and England. Many motifs, materials, colors, botanical influences, and craft traditions traveled back and forth over generations and eventually became woven into Western interiors and design sensibilities in subtle ways.
New England, with its own colonial history and appreciation for heritage, craftsmanship, collected interiors, and storytelling through objects, almost feels like a mirror or continuation of some of that layered exchange. So, for me, blending South Asian craft with New England sensibility never felt forced — it felt like reconnecting threads that have long existed together.
I’ve always been drawn to spaces that feel storied and lived-in: English country homes, old New England houses, heirloom textiles, handmade ceramics, botanical prints, layered tables, artisanal objects, and the quiet beauty of things made slowly and thoughtfully. At the same time, I grew up around South Asian traditions where textiles, craft, hospitality, ritual, color, and ornamentation are deeply embedded into everyday life.
The Gathered Room became a way to bring these worlds into conversation with one another — not in a loud or overly thematic way, but gently and naturally. You might see an Indian hand-embroidered textile sitting comfortably beside vintage-inspired New England decor, or apothecary goods, woven baskets, artisanal pottery, and gathered table settings all coexisting in a way that feels harmonious rather than contrasting.
Ultimately, the vision is less about “fusion” and more about continuity, shared human sensibilities, and creating a home that feels layered, warm, worldly, rooted, and deeply personal.
LIM: Can you share a bit about your own background and the journey that led you to create this space?
TGR: My background has always centered around people, culture, community, and understanding how we live alongside one another. Academically, I studied social work, sociology, and anthropology — fields that deeply shaped the way I think about identity, human connection, cultural exchange, inclusion, and the systems that shape communities. Professionally, I also come from a humanitarian background, where collaboration, diversity, dignity, resilience, and community-centered thinking were always at the core of the work.
In many ways, The Gathered Room is an extension of those values, just expressed through a different medium. I have always gravitated toward spaces that bring people together, create dialogue, celebrate different perspectives, and foster meaningful relationships. So, while this space is rooted in retail and design, at its heart it is really about community-building and creating a sense of belonging.
My love for arts, crafts, textiles, and layered interiors really began at home through my mother. She had incredibly rich and varied interests and exposed me to art, handmade objects, textiles, decor, cultural traditions, and beauty in everyday living from a very young age. I grew up in an environment where creativity, aesthetics, collecting, and appreciation for craftsmanship were naturally woven into daily life. That early exposure stayed with me deeply and continues to influence how I curate spaces today.
Over the past two years, I’ve also been building my own textile brand, Kathya, which works with artisan groups in India to design and bring handcrafted home textiles to the U.S. market. Through Kathya, I’ve participated extensively in the local pop-up circuit, worked with stores, met countless makers and small business owners, and experienced firsthand both the joys and challenges of being a vendor.
That experience taught me a great deal — not only about the local market and customer preferences here in New England, but also about vendor pain points: the unpredictability of markets, the need for supportive retail partnerships, the importance of presentation and storytelling, and how difficult it can be for small businesses to find spaces that genuinely want them to succeed.
The Gathered Room was born partly from that realization. I wanted to create a space that is both vendor-leaning and customer-positive — where independent businesses feel supported, seen, and thoughtfully represented, while customers experience beauty, warmth, discovery, and genuine connection. Ideally, it becomes a space where everyone benefits together: the makers, the community, the customers, and the store itself. That collaborative spirit is really the foundation of the entire concept.
LIM: The shop is divided into thoughtfully curated “rooms.” How did you dream up these different spaces, and what can visitors expect from each one?
The idea of the different rooms came from wanting the shop to feel less like a traditional retail store and more like a home — or perhaps even a series of lived-in worlds that visitors can move through slowly and experience emotionally. I’ve always loved spaces that tell stories through atmosphere, layering, objects, textures, and mood. Rather than organizing products strictly by category, I wanted to create environments that evoke a feeling, a ritual, or a way of living.
The concept was also inspired by older homes — particularly New England and English country homes — where each room had its own personality, rhythm, and purpose, yet still felt connected to the larger story of the house. I wanted visitors to wander, discover, linger, and feel as though they were stepping into thoughtfully gathered spaces rather than simply shopping shelves.
Each room has its own narrative and energy. The Hearth & Table Room centers around gathering, hospitality, cooking, and shared meals. Visitors will find kitchenware, table linens, gourmet foods, ceramics, pantry items, candles, and objects that celebrate the ritual of slowing down around food and company.
The Homestead Room is rooted in warmth, texture, and everyday living — inspired by garden homes, coastal New England sensibilities, and layered interiors. It includes decor, textiles, baskets, rugs, pottery, planters, furniture, and pieces that help make a home feel grounded, storied, and comforting.
The Adornment Room has more of an apothecary and self-care atmosphere. It focuses on wellness, beauty, ritual, fragrance, jewelry, accessories, skincare, and small luxuries that encourage moments of pause, care, and personal expression.
Nooks & Corners is perhaps the most reflective and intimate space — centered around mindfulness, spirituality, creativity, and quiet rituals. Visitors may discover journals, crystals, books, handcrafted objects, meditation-inspired items, cards, and pieces meant to nurture contemplation, curiosity, and everyday magic.
The Vintage Room is especially close to my heart because it captures the feeling of a collected and storied home. It brings together vintage furniture, antique and vintage-inspired lamps, decor, keepsakes, heirloom-style objects, handcrafted pieces, artwork, and found treasures that feel timeless and deeply personal. I wanted this room to evoke nostalgia and the beauty of objects that carry history, character, and memory. It’s less about perfection and more about soul — pieces that feel gathered over time rather than mass-produced all at once.
Throughout the shop, visitors will also find handcrafted goods from artisans and makers across New England, the United States, and abroad, woven naturally into these spaces so that old and new, local and global, handmade and collected can all coexist harmoniously.
What ties all the rooms together is the idea of intentional living. Whether someone comes in searching for a gift, a handcrafted textile, a meaningful object for their home, or simply inspiration, I want them to feel warmth, beauty, curiosity, and a sense of emotional connection as they move through space.
LIM: The building at 505 Main Street in Medfield has such a rich history. What does it mean to you to be part of its next chapter?
TGR: Being part of the next chapter of this building feels incredibly meaningful and humbling to me. One of the things that drew me so strongly to 505 Main Street was the sense that the space already carried memory, character, and history within its walls. In New England especially, there’s something deeply moving about older buildings — they’ve witnessed generations of people, conversations, businesses, gatherings, and everyday life. You can almost feel that continuity when you step inside.
I never wanted to erase that history or impose something disconnected from the spirit of the place. Instead, I wanted The Gathered Room to feel like a natural continuation of the building’s story — preserving its warmth, charm, and rootedness while bringing new energy, perspectives, and community into it.
As someone who comes from a South Asian background and has made a home here in New England, there’s also something personally symbolic about that idea of continuity and layering. Just as the building has evolved through different chapters over time, I think communities and identities evolve too — shaped by memory, migration, exchange, and the people who contribute to them. Being able to bring elements of my own cultural heritage into a historic New England space feels both deeply personal and deeply hopeful.
I also love the idea that this building will continue to be a place where people gather. Whether someone walks in for a meaningful gift, a conversation, inspiration, a workshop, a quiet moment of discovery, or simply wander through the rooms, I hope the space continues the tradition of being woven into the daily and emotional life of the community.
To me, stewardship is a big part of this experience. I don’t see myself as simply occupying the building; I see myself as caring for it, honoring its history, and contributing thoughtfully to what comes next. There’s something very special about becoming a small part of a much longer story.
LIM: How do you approach curating vendors and products to make sure everything feels cohesive and aligned with your vision?
TGR: Curating vendors and products for The Gathered Room is a very intentional and layered process for me. Because the store is built around the concept of different “rooms,” I’m not simply looking for good standalone products — I’m looking for pieces that contribute to a larger atmosphere, story, and emotional experience within each space.
I usually begin by thinking about the identity and feeling of a room itself: What mood does it evoke? How do people live in that space? What rituals, aesthetics, textures, or experiences belong there? From there, I look for vendors and makers whose work naturally aligns with that narrative. For example, something may be beautiful on its own, but if it doesn’t harmonize with the feeling of the room or the broader vision of the store, it may not be the right fit.
Product quality is also extremely important to me. I’m very drawn to craftsmanship, thoughtful design, authenticity, and products that feel made with care rather than mass-produced for trends alone. Whether it’s gourmet food, textiles, apothecary goods, vintage decor, handmade pottery, furniture, jewelry, or artwork, I look for items that feel intentional, layered, and capable of becoming part of someone’s everyday life and home.
At the same time, I also think carefully about balance and cohesion across the store as a whole. Because we have vendors from different locations, backgrounds, and creative disciplines, the challenge — and beauty — lies in creating harmony without making everything feel overly uniform. I want the shop to feel diverse and dynamic, but still curated and emotionally coherent.
Location and community also play a role in curation. Since we are rooted in New England, I’m mindful of local sensibilities, seasonal living, architecture, interiors, and the kinds of products that resonate with the rhythms of life here. At the same time, I intentionally weave in global craftsmanship and cultural influences so that the space feels expansive, layered, and worldly rather than isolated or one-dimensional.
Equally important to me are the people behind the products. I care deeply about the stories, values, creativity, and energy vendors bring into the space. Because I’ve been a vendor myself through my own brand Kathya, I understand how vulnerable and meaningful it is to place your work into a retail environment. I try to curate with empathy and collaboration in mind, creating an ecosystem where vendors feel supported and customers feel inspired.
Ultimately, I approach the store almost like composing a home or a visual narrative. Every room, object, vendor, texture, and detail should contribute to the larger feeling of The Gathered Room: warm, storied, thoughtful, gathered, and deeply human
LIM: You emphasize storytelling and intention. What kinds of stories are you hoping customers will connect with when they walk through your doors?
TGR: I hope customers connect with stories that feel human, layered, and emotionally resonant — stories about people, heritage, creativity, memory, resilience, and the ways we create meaning in our everyday lives.
So much of modern retail today can feel transactional and disconnected, and I wanted The Gathered Room to feel different from that. I want people to walk into the space and sense that there are real hands, histories, traditions, and lives behind the objects they encounter. Whether it’s a handcrafted textile, a ceramic mug, a vintage lamp, a small-batch apothecary item, or a beautifully gathered table setting, I hope people pause and think about where it came from, who made it, what inspired it, and how it might become part of their own story and home.
I also hope customers connect with stories of craftsmanship and slow making — the idea that beauty and meaning often come from time, care, imperfection, and human touch. Many of our vendors and artisans are creating things in small batches, by hand, often balancing creativity with the realities of running independent businesses. There’s courage, vulnerability, and dedication in that, and I think those stories deserve visibility and respect.
Another layer of storytelling for me is cultural storytelling. Because the shop blends New England sensibilities with global and South Asian influences, I hope visitors experience a sense of curiosity and openness — an appreciation for how traditions, aesthetics, and ways of living can coexist and speak to one another across cultures. Sometimes that story may be explicit, and other times it may simply exist quietly in the textures, colors, craftsmanship, or atmosphere of the rooms themselves.
I’m also deeply interested in stories of home and memory. Certain scents, objects, fabrics, recipes, or vintage pieces can instantly transport people — reminding them of grandparents, travels, childhood homes, gatherings, rituals, or meaningful moments in their lives. I love the idea that people may walk through the store and unexpectedly reconnect with a memory or feeling they hadn’t thought about in years.
Ultimately, I hope people leave feeling not only inspired aesthetically, but emotionally nourished. That they feel reminded to live more intentionally, gather more meaningfully, support creativity and craftsmanship, and surround themselves with objects and spaces that carry soul, story, and care.
LIM: Community seems to be at the heart of what you’re building. What kinds of gatherings, events, or experiences do you envision hosting?
TGR: Community is absolutely at the heart of what we’re building, and I’ve always envisioned The Gathered Room as much more than a retail space. I want it to feel alive, evolving, and participatory — a place where people gather not only to shop, but to learn, connect, create, celebrate, and experience things together.
One of the biggest goals is to create experiences that feel thoughtful, seasonal, and aligned with the atmosphere of the store itself. We plan to host rotating in-store vendor pop-ups throughout the year that are themed around seasons, holidays, and different room concepts within the shop. For example, right now our back room is centered around a Mother’s Day theme, with curated rotational products from vendors specifically selected for gifting and gathering. Over time, that space may transform into seasonal harvest themes, holiday markets, wellness-focused experiences, vintage gatherings, or culturally inspired events.
I’m also very excited about creating opportunities for vendors to share not just what they make, but how and why they make it. We hope to host workshops, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences led by our vendors — whether that’s floral arranging, textile arts, candle making, wellness rituals, styling conversations, artisan craft demonstrations, or creative classes that allow people to engage more deeply with craftsmanship and process.
Wellness is another important part of the vision. I would love to organize a wellness week featuring local wellness practitioners and experts — bringing together conversations and experiences around mindfulness, skincare, ritual, herbalism, movement, healing, and intentional living in ways that feel approachable and community-centered.
We’re also envisioning larger seasonal and themed events such as a juried art fair featuring art-focused vendors and makers, a vintage fair in the fall celebrating collected and nostalgic pieces, and eventually a Diwali fair that introduces the beauty, warmth, artistry, food, and celebratory spirit of South Asian traditions to the broader community in an inclusive and welcoming way.
Beyond events within the store itself, I’m very interested in building meaningful collaborations with other local institutions and businesses. I would love for The Gathered Room to develop relationships with the local library, bookstores, nurseries, food businesses, historical societies, and other community-centered organizations so we can create mutually beneficial programming, shared events, educational experiences, and collaborative storytelling rooted in the town and its people.
Ultimately, I hope The Gathered Room becomes a place where different worlds, skills, generations, traditions, and communities intersect naturally — where commerce exists, of course, but where connection, creativity, curiosity, and shared experience are equally valued.
LIM: There’s a strong focus on everyday rituals. How do you see the objects in your shop enhancing daily life at home?
TGR: I think so much of our daily lives are shaped by small rituals, often in ways we don’t fully notice — lighting a candle at the end of the day, setting a table for family or friends, making tea or coffee in the morning, arranging flowers, journaling quietly, wrapping ourselves in a favorite textile, or simply creating a corner of calm in an otherwise busy life. Those seemingly ordinary moments can become deeply grounding and meaningful when approached with intention.
That’s very much the philosophy behind the objects we curate at The Gathered Room. I’m not interested in things that exist purely as decoration or consumption; I’m drawn to objects that invite people to slow down, engage their senses, and create atmosphere and meaning within their homes and routines.
A handcrafted mug can make a morning ritual feel more comforting. A beautiful table linen or ceramic serving bowl can transform a simple meal into a moment of gathering and connection. A vintage lamp can create warmth and softness in a room at the end of a long day. A handmade textile, candle, apothecary item, or journal can encourage rest, reflection, creativity, or care. Even small details can shift how we experience our spaces and ourselves within them.
I also think there’s something emotionally nourishing about surrounding ourselves with objects that carry story, craftsmanship, and human touch. In a world that often feels fast, digital, and disposable, handmade and thoughtfully gathered pieces remind us to reconnect with texture, memory, ritual, beauty, and presence. They encourage us to create homes that feel personal rather than performative.
Many of the traditions I grew up around in South Asian culture also deeply valued ritual in everyday life — hospitality, gathering around food, seasonal celebrations, care practices, textiles, scent, lighting, adornment, and creating beauty within the home as part of daily living rather than something reserved only for special occasions. I think New England culture, in its own way, also values coziness, rootedness, seasonal rhythms, and home-centered living. The store naturally became a meeting point between those sensibilities.
Ultimately, I hope the objects in the shop help people cultivate homes and routines that feel more intentional, comforting, soulful, and connected — spaces that support not just how we live, but how we feel.
LIM: What has been the most meaningful or exciting part of bringing The Gathered Room to life so far?
TGR: Honestly, one of the most meaningful parts has been witnessing how many people genuinely want to be part of something rooted in creativity, collaboration, and community. What began as a personal vision has gradually turned into a collective effort involving makers, artists, small businesses, customers, neighbors, friends, and people from very different backgrounds all bringing something of themselves into the space. That has been incredibly moving to experience.
As someone who has spent years working around themes of community and human connection — both academically and professionally — it’s been deeply fulfilling to watch those ideas come alive in a tangible way. There’s something very special about seeing vendors support one another, share ideas, exchange knowledge, and become excited not only about their own work, but about building something larger together.
Another meaningful part has been watching the physical transformation of the space itself. Taking a historic building with so much character and slowly shaping it room by room — layering textures, stories, furniture, lighting, vintage finds, handcrafted objects, and products from different makers — has felt almost like bringing a living narrative to life. There have been moments where the rooms suddenly begin to feel emotionally complete, and those moments are incredibly rewarding.
I’ve also really loved seeing how people respond emotionally to the concept. Many visitors and vendors have told me the space feels warm, nostalgic, calming, inspiring, or unlike a typical store experience. Some people connect with the craftsmanship, others with the cultural layers, others with the vintage atmosphere or the sense of home and gathering. I think that emotional resonance has reassured me that people are craving spaces that feel more intentional and human centered.
And honestly, as someone who has done the pop-up circuit myself through Kathya and experienced firsthand how difficult it can be for small businesses and artisans to find supportive retail environments, it’s been especially meaningful to create opportunities for other vendors to feel seen, represented, and celebrated. Seeing their excitement when their products are styled beautifully within the rooms, or hearing customers connect with their work, has probably been one of the most rewarding aspects of all.
There’s still so much ahead, but even at this stage, it already feels like The Gathered Room has become more than just a store — it’s becoming a shared space of creativity, memory, culture, and connection, which is exactly what I had hoped for.
LIM: Looking ahead, what are your hopes for The Gathered Room in its first year? What would success feel like to you?
TGR: In its first year, my biggest hope is simply that The Gathered Room becomes a meaningful and positive presence within the community — a space that people genuinely enjoy returning to, feel emotionally connected to, and see as more than just a place to shop.
Success to me would mean creating something that truly benefits the vendors and makers who have trusted us with their work and their stories. I would love to see vendors grow their visibility, build loyal customer relationships, feel supported creatively and professionally, and experience the store as a collaborative environment rather than just another retail outlet. Because I’ve been a vendor myself, I understand how much heart, labor, vulnerability, and hope go into running a small business, so helping even a small number of people feel more stable, encouraged, or seen would feel deeply meaningful.
I also hope the store builds a real community presence within Medfield and the surrounding towns. I would love for people to think of The Gathered Room as a welcoming place where they can discover something new, attend an event, have a conversation, feel inspired, or simply slow down for a little while. If the space can contribute in some way to strengthening local connections and creating opportunities for gathering and shared experiences, I would consider that a success.
On a broader level, I hope we can contribute — even in a small way — to enhancing and diversifying the small business landscape in town. Independent businesses bring character, creativity, individuality, and vitality to communities, and I think spaces that support artisans, makers, and thoughtful commerce help create towns that feel more vibrant, layered, and human-centered.
Personally, success would also mean maintaining the integrity of the vision as we grow — continuing to create a space that feels intentional, warm, inclusive, culturally layered, and rooted in genuine connection rather than simply chasing trends or scale.
Ultimately, if people walk through our doors and feel welcomed, inspired, emotionally connected, and eager to return — and if vendors feel proud to be part of what we’re building — that would feel like real success to me.
We’d like to thank Anjini for letting us interview her for our Small Business Spotlight. Through every thoughtfully curated room, handcrafted object, and community-centered idea, The Gathered Room is creating something that feels increasingly rare: a space designed not simply for shopping, but for slowing down, connecting, and experiencing beauty with intention.
Rooted in storytelling, craftsmanship, and hospitality, the shop reflects both the richness of cultural exchange and the timeless comfort of home. As The Gathered Room begins its next chapter in Medfield, it’s already becoming a place where memories, makers, and community naturally gather together.
