Situated on a bustling block of Historic Route 66 you will find The Roseberry, a store filled with the most unique finds inspired by the southwest. If you’ve shopped at The Collective, you’ve probably shopped their selection of home decor and fragrances or maybe some of their delicious snacks. If you haven’t ventured down to their original brick and mortar on 6th Street in Amarillo, you are missing out! Their shop is full of small batch foods, a fantastic collection of vintage turquoise jewelry, plus products from regional and local artisans, breweries, and vineyards.

We first met the owners of The Roseberry, David Garza and Dirk Funk, when they were renting a small booth inside The NAT. From there the business grew over time, and they eventually expanded into a small retail space. A few short years later, Dirk + David had the opportunity to buy their own storefront on 6th Street, where they are located today. This antique-store-turned-art-gallery was the perfect blank canvas they needed to make a home for The Roseberry. Their building, which is on the National Historic Registry, was originally a laundromat in the 1920s! The charm of this nearly 100-year-old building is used to its full potential with the fun antique and vintage finds that fill their shop.

It has been a privilege not only to get to know Dirk + David over the years, but also to watch The Roseberry on Route 66 grow right before our eyes. To read more about their journey, and where they are headed in the future, follow along in the interview below:

You two have one of the most unique shops in town. Can you tell us where you find inspiration or how you’ve curated such a unique variety of goods?

A lot of our inspiration comes from our travels. Whether we’re going to New Mexico, or wherever, we love to be able to have the opportunity to actually meet makers face-to-face. It is really important to us to learn more about these artisans’ backgrounds and what inspires them to make the works that they are creating, and bring that same inspiration back to the store with us. Our shop is also really a reflection of our own personal styles as well. We, in our personal lives, do our best to support small businesses, and The Roseberry is also another place for these small makers to stock their products as well. We personally like their works, so it’s another way for us to support their small businesses as well. You can call us a gift shop, but it’s so much more than that. It is a representation of all the makers and artisans who create these unique things in our shop. It’s also important to us to carry items that are socially conscious as well.

For our readers, can you expand on these brands that you carry either here, at your original brick and mortar, or out west? What should our customers keep their eyes open for if they’re wanting to support someone local, or maybe a charity?

We try to stock items that are made by a small business, or women-owned businesses, and even some lines that benefit charities. A lot of our food products are made by small makers in Texas and the surrounding areas. We have jewelry and art made by local Amarillo artists. Even our western inspired lamps that are both here and out at From 6th Collective are no mass-produced, they’re actually made by a woman here in Texas. We would say that almost all of our products are sourced from small businesses and makers in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. We do have products from other places around the US, but we take a lot of pride in the fact that it is something you can only find at The Roseberry.

You’ve had your storefront for a few years now. What about The Roseberry on Route 66 do you love the most, or what are you most proud of?

I think David and I are very proud of the things in our shop that we bring to Amarillo. We have visitors and locals that come in and tell us how unexpected and unique our shop is, and that is something that we continue to be proud of. We enjoy being able to host various regional and local makers inside of our store as well, like Annalisa Minor and Amy Wixom! We also stock beer and wine from regional distributors, which many of our customers appreciate. We’re also thrilled to be able to see and meet tourists from all over the world. There are so many international visitors who come to Amarillo to see our little strip of the original Route 66, and it’s a pleasure to be able to be a part of this community on 6th Street.

Now being kind of “post-covid,” are you seeing that international travelers are headed back to Route 66?

We finally are! This year was the first year since 2020 that we’ve really seen a resurgence of international travel. We, of course, were so thankful to the people who were still traveling during shutdowns, those traveling in the state of Texas and others. It was so appreciated to be supported during the difficult times, and now we’re excited to see a growing number of travelers. We still love seeing our regular local customers too! It’s honestly very thrilling to be a business with regulars, to be a place where people like to return. Getting to build that relationship with them, knowing their name, getting to the point that you understand exactly what they’re looking for, or even getting to introduce them to something new – it’s so rewarding!

We kind of touched on some of the products you sell that give back, or benefit a charity in some way. The last time we spoke, y’all mentioned that you were becoming more involved in a charity that is important to you, Erase Hate. Do you want to talk a bit about what Erase Hate is, and how people can show their support?

We’ve been able to take over and continue the Erase Hate product line. Erase Hate has products like bracelets, wrist bands, and t-shirts that we sell and the proceeds benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation. The MSF’s mission is to inspire people, organizations, and communities to embrace the dignity and equality of all people, specifically in the LGBTQ+ community. Through local, regional, and national outreach, they hope to empower individuals to find their voice to create change and challenge communities to identify and address hate that lives within our schools, neighborhoods, and homes. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and the tragic hate crime that took Matthew Shepard’s life.

The MSF has helped pioneer the country’s first federal hate crimes legislation, provided hate crimes training to law enforcement and prosecutors, and more. Most importantly they’ve created a dialogue about replacing hate with understanding and acceptance within communities around the world and the importance of standing up for the LGBTQ+ community.

These products that we carry are great designs, yes, but they also carry a message: Erase Hate. We believe in overcoming bigotry and want to make the world less divided. These products are for sale at our brick and mortar here on 6th street, but we are planning on bringing the Erase Hate collection out to From 6th Collective soon. We are excited to be taking over this project! We are not just going to be carrying these products in our store but will be able to share these products with other stores all over the nation, which is an incredible opportunity.

We’re only a couple of months into the year.. What are you looking forward to most in 2023, or where do you see The Roseberry going?

We are really looking forward to traveling this year. We love to go sourcing for products and enjoying the trip along the way. So we are ready to get out there and meet some new makers and artists, and introduce them to our customers.