Meet Christina Phillips
Owner of Park + Eighth
Someone once told me ‘the greenest products on earth are the ones that already exist’.
Meet November’s Fort Worth Woman! Christina Phillips was born and raised in Fort Worth and is a graduate of TCU (Class of 1990) with a degree in Interior Design. She is both licensed and NCIDQ certified to practice in the state of Texas. She has been married to her best friend for the past 24 years and has two children, a boy who works in the family business and a girl who is a freshman at TCU. She has incorporated her entire family into Park + Eighth, creating a home away from home kind-of-feel as you enter her store. Truly, her husband and son work in the same building and are her in-house moving crew/brainstorming team, her sister-in-law is the event planner/design assistant, her mom is in charge of seeking out quality, vintage barware for the store/specific clients, her daughter is a frequent visitor outside of her school hours, and her sweet collie-mix, Kai, is the enthusiastic greeter who is known to ‘herd’ clients through the store. You walk in this shop and it’s like you are visiting family-it’s that comfortable.
As a designer, Christina was tired of making the trek to Dallas to find unique furniture. After a few years of dreaming and a few divine interventions later, she finally felt that Cowtown was ready for her vision in home décor. She opened Park + Eighth in an attempt to fill the need for a local retail market. Christina states, “Someone once told me ‘the greenest products on earth are the ones that already exist’. Our pieces are unique, high quality, one of kinds that you won’t find in every home in town and most are available off of the floor (instant gratification). It’s a niche market for the discerning customer who wants pieces with history, quality and uniqueness.”
In the process of building up her own business, Christina surrounds herself and consistently supports the talents of those around her. The upholsterers, refinishers, advertisers, and even artists she uses are all local and included in the village that makes Park + Eighth such a huge success. In particular, Christina feels that art is a critical component to achieving the right look and design in a home therefore she showcases several Texas (but mostly Fort Worth) artists throughout her store. With her design training and decades of experience, she is able to help those walking through the doors at Park + Eighth to select the perfect pieces of art and furnishings for their unique spaces. Her overall goal is for people to feel inspired when they visit her ‘funky but fabulous’ little shop. She definitely adds some classy funk to Funky Town!
When asked what she loves about Fort Worth Christina mentioned the overall atmosphere. Between the genuinely kind people, all things Frog, the incredible appreciation for the arts, and the variety (cowboys to couture being the norm) she feels that we are all living in such a harmonious, yet eclectic city. Fort Worth is truly one big, small town.
Christina’s word for her impact as a businesswoman on our city was inspiration. She is the kind of ‘old soul’ who strives to inspire people via her business in creating beautiful interiors as well as impacting the hearts of those around her. She is a true encourager who prefers to consistently build up the women around her who are dreaming about their own small business ventures.
Stop on by Park + Eighth. You’ll be glad you did! Christina’s shop and overall personality are both so contagious you can’t help but leave with a smile on your face (including some gorgeous new home goods). You can also e-mail Christina directly at Christina@parkandeighth.com or call the store using 817-708-2120.