Meet Adam Hampton | Owner, Hampton Designs Studio & Shop

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam Hampton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from New Palestine, IN, a small town full of corn, about 20 minutes from Indianapolis, IN. It was a wonderful place to grow up, but a place I would dread living as an adult. From the ages of 5-19, I spent every summer with my grandpa and grandma in Monticello, KY. My grandparents owned a family gas station on Highway 776. Two gas pumps, sliced meats & cheeses, a minimal rotating selection of video rentals, groceries, and feed for the animals. It was a small place, but it had a big impact on the community and a HUGE impact on the man I would be.

It was at Branscum Grocery that I fell in love with the dream of having my own business in the future, possibly even taking over the family grocery store? I spent my days there sweeping the floors, restocking the shelves, pricing stock, ringing guests up on the register, riding into town with my grandpa to get product and talking to the guests. Neighbors would stay for hours sitting on a long bench carved with signatures and initials of cousins. Families would eat their bologna and tomato sandwiches and would drink their RC Cola with peanuts poured inside. They would play Aggravation at an oversized wooden picnic table. Talking, gathering, and being together always seemed to be the general daily theme. Guests would come for gas and necessities but would stay hours or return multiple times throughout the day, just for the company.

The highlight of the Summer was going to the rodeo. Life was simple, not a care in the world. I was able to experience natural beauty of Kentucky, the caves, hills, trees, and the water.

Many knew that that I wanted a place where I could be myself and be there for my community, just like my grandpa felt at home and part of a community in his store. I was always in awe of the impact my grandpa had on his neighbors who often came to him for solutions or help, and I wanted to create that impact as well. I am incredibly proud of the space that I have curated, a place for the queer and art community, a place for those who felt like they never found a home somewhere, a space for ALL. I like to refer to Hampton Designs Studio & Shop as the living room of Irvington as we are not only a retail space, but we are a community space. My guests stay for hours just browsing, chatting with me, and watching the Tina Turner and Whitney music videos playing on repeat on the TV at the shop. The community of Irvington and the Indianapolis queer community are amazing, and they are the reason I love what I do. I am so appreciative that I am able to not only be surrounded by beautiful crystals, home décor, vintage treasures, and local art, but by an amazing neighborhood as well. It’s pretty rare to find me without a smile on my face when I am at work.

I opened Hampton Designs Studio in August 2018, and I kicked off the opening with drag shows, local artist events, live music and a whole lot of love. That same momentum has kept growing over the last 4 years, and we are just getting started.

I recently returned to the grocery store, and I was overcome with emotion. Canned goods and cereals were dusty on the shelves. Expired mayonnaise bottles rotting away. The ceiling was covered in spider webs. Vintage 7 Up wooden crates were stacked up empty on the front porch. It has been over 10 years since the grocery store has been open to the public. Due to my grandpa’s failing health, the big box stores, as well as my not returning every summer to Kentucky, these all eventually led to the store’s closure. Over the years I watched most of those mom-and-pop stores close. I always thought that I would end up owning and operating the grocery store. It was not until I opened my own shop that I was able to finally relinquish the internal guilt and fully accept that I could have never lived my adult life there. I would never have been happy as a gay man living in rural Kentucky. I truly have found a sense of community in Indianapolis and Irvington with my home and shop and am so grateful for my life here with my husband of 14 years, my friends, family, and my two amazing nieces, Raelynn and Rileigh, who all provide me with me so much joy and love.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Respect.

Hampton Designs is proud to feature the work of over 45 local artists, vintage treasures, the East side’s best collection of crystals and gems at the best prices in Indy, home decor, gifts and quirky finds all under one roof. We are more than just a retail space. We host monthly drag shows that are free where all ages are welcome. You may walk in and find live music, artists debuting their new works, musicians, comedians, Acro yoga performers or me just putting on a wig and rocking to Lady Gaga music behind the counter.

I am most proud of being named Indy’s best home décor shop 4 years in a row, being named best quirky home décor shop in the city, being invited to Washington DC for a Facebook and Instagram for Business Leader’s conference, being able to increase my sales year after year even during a pandemic. I am excited to expand and I’m excited to have been able to execute my vision of a space for all!

I had a 200 square foot shop for about 4 years just down the street from my current place. The day after my wedding, my business partner told me I was no longer worthy of being part of their business. I came back to Indiana after my honeymoon, and my items were packed in boxes, the locks were changed, and my signs were removed from the exterior of the building. I was told that I was worthless, that I was not welcome in Irvington, and that I did not belong in the neighborhood. They were unhappy about the drag shows that I created and about the community vibe I spent 4 years trying to create there. I could have given up. I could have believed them. I CHOSE TO PERSEVERE. I found a 2,000 square foot retail location inside a 1925 Historic Masonic Lodge to lease, and I made it my own. Less than 3 months after being kicked out of my former business, I opened the doors to Hampton Designs Studio & Shop. I am where I am at today because of the strength of those who believe in me. I know I am worthy and that I belong in this community. I am a proud gay man, and I will not let anyone silence what we have created and built. Do not let anyone tell you are not worthy. YOU ARE WORTHY. MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I learned to believe in myself and to always remember that I am worthy and that I am loved. I learned to accept myself and to always be my authentic self.

Always be Bold, be brave and be kind. Being authentically you will always produce beauty and success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Eat: Breakfast- Coffee at Landlocked or Parlor. Cinnamon Rolls at Bittersweet. Café Patachou and Lincoln Square for a brunch meal

Dinner- Strangebird, Jockamos Pizza, Chicago Beef & Dog & Bodhi Thai Bistro.

Shopping: Black Sheep Gifts, Irvington Vinyl & Books & Howl & Hide

Shopping for Vintage Goods: Y Shops, Audrey’s Place & Southport Antique Mall

Fun things to do: Catch a show at Beef and Boards or a touring Broadway show at Murat

Zoo and Children’s Museum with my nieces

Take an hour drive down to Brown County, IN to rent a cabin in the fall, then go shopping and eat.

Drag: Attend a drag brunch at Baby’s. Catch a drag show at Almost Famous or Black Circle.

Drinks: The Hulman at Hotel Indy & Strangebird

Favorite Festivals: Irvington Halloween Festival & Indy Pride

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Thank you to all my guests for shopping with us, attending our events and believing in us. Thank you for being a friend.

My husband, Carter, for always loving me.

Grandma Debbie/Grandpa Willy for teaching me the value of hard work and love for their neighborhood

Irvington for always lifting me up, especially for the women in Irvington: Dawn, Sue, Nancy, Linda, Paula & Rose Mary who have been working to improve Irvington for 40 plus years, even before I was born

To the Drag and Queer Indianapolis community: Thank you for inspiring me!

Lady Gaga for continuing to motivate and excite me. Forever a fan!

Thank you to my amazing nieces, Raelynn and Rileigh: Thank you for always making me laugh & smile. Thank you to my brother, Scott, and sister-in-law, for being such amazing parents to my best friends.

Thank you to Elysia, the best business neighbor I could ever hope for. Thanks for always being by my side.

Thank you, Yasha & Robbie, for believing in my vision and for taking such phenomenal care of this 1925 Historic Lodge

Thank you, Dad, for adopting me when I was just two years old, and for always standing up for me.

Thank you to my mom, and Grandma Ina for being two of the strongest women in my life, and for always loving and caring about me.

Thank you, Joyce.

Website: adamhamptondesigns.com

Instagram: hamptondesignsstudio_shop

Facebook: @adamhamptondesigns

Other: TikTok: HamptonDesigns

Image Credits
Kat Theadora Hampton