The Story of Kinks & Quirks: When Life Gets Quirky, Dance in Your Tutu

Jennifer Raines in her beloved Quirks of Art store - where contemporary meets whimsical

A Dream Born from Loss, Built on Joy

Some people wait for the perfect moment. Jennifer Raines got hers in the worst way possible.

When her mother died unexpectedly in 2002, 27-year-old Jennifer was thriving in pharmaceutical sales—earning well, checking boxes, living the "successful" life everyone expected. But grief has a way of stripping away pretense and revealing what truly matters.

"My mother's death was a wake-up call," Jennifer reflects. "I realized I was living someone else's dream, not mine."

So she did what terrified, exhilarated dreamers do: she quit. She walked away from the lucrative corporate career and toward the dream she'd held since she was eight years old—owning a magical, personality-filled shop where art, joy, and community collide.

"Well, I actually wanted to be a singer or a model first," she laughs, "but those didn't pan out. Store owner was a close third!"

Building a Whimsical Empire (One Quirk at a Time)

What began in 1997 as Kinks, Quirks & Caffeine—a handcraft gallery with a coffee bar—became Jennifer's life's work. After purchasing the business in 2005, she poured her heart into creating something extraordinary: retail spaces where you bring your dog to work, celebrate birthdays with cake, wear tutus on Tuesday, and treat strangers like old friends.

Her flagship Quirks of Art in Williamsburg quickly became legendary for its "Contemporary, Not Colonial" vibe—a rebellious splash of color in a town steeped in 18th-century charm. Over the years, Jennifer curated works from over 1,400 American artisans, built relationships with 400+ artists at any given time, and created a business model where every purchase created a ripple effect of support for creative entrepreneurs across the country.

Treating customers like family at the iconic turquoise checkout counter - the "Quirks of Art" shopping bag became a badge of honor in Williamsburg

The accolades followed: Top 40 Under 40, Women in Business Achievement Award, Best of Virginia, Best of Williamsburg. Smart Retailer Magazine featured her as a "born party girl" who threw celebrations for hitting 10,000 Facebook fans (with custom cake, naturally). CoVa Biz Magazine celebrated 20 years of her "commitment to enrich the community while supporting artists and American industry."

Receiving the Women in Business Achievement Award - recognition for building something bigger than retail

Another ribbon cutting, another beginning - Jennifer's retail empire grew one colorful door at a time

Jennifer didn't stop at one store. She opened The Sideshow Gallery in Williamsburg and Richmond—"The Greatest Gallery on Earth"—showcasing art glass, ceramics, Houston Llew Spiritiles, and handcrafted wonders. She launched Spoke & Art Provisions Co. along the Virginia Capital Trail, serving artisan coffee to cyclists. Lipstick & Chrome brought vintage glamour to collectors.

And because retail success wasn't enough, in 2016 she co-founded CultureFix, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing Greater Williamsburg's cultural vitality through events like the Winter Blues Jazz Fest, 2nd Sundays Art & Music Festival, and ChowderFest. The Daily Press noted the organization's mission of "creative placemaking"—using arts and culture to drive community transformation.

Jennifer Raines wasn't just building stores. She was building a movement.

The Virginia Gazette celebrates Quirks of Art winning both Best Art Gallery AND Best Gift Shop - December 2012

 Proud champion of small business and American makers - the "Shop Small" movement was always in Jennifer's DNA

Then the World Stopped

March 2020 arrived like a thief.

COVID-19 didn't just close doors—it shattered dreams. Small retailers across America watched helplessly as foot traffic evaporated, rent came due, and years of relationship-building meant nothing when people couldn't leave their homes.

Every physical location Jennifer had poured her soul into—Quirks of Art, The Sideshow Gallery, Spoke & Art Provisions, Lipstick & Chrome—closed. The parties stopped. The tutus went in storage. The dream seemed over.

But Jennifer Raines doesn't quit. She pivots.

The Digital Renaissance: When Doors Close, Build New Windows

Here's what most people don't know: Jennifer had been quietly building something powerful since 2007.

While other retailers scrambled to figure out "this internet thing," Jennifer had launched kinksandquirks.com—and not just as an afterthought. She built it right. So right that NICHE awarded it Top Retailer honors for Best Website.

When the pandemic forced her hand, that 13-year investment in digital infrastructure became her lifeline.

What happened next shocked everyone—including Jennifer.

While brick-and-mortar retail collapsed, kinksandquirks.com exploded. The same philosophy that made her physical stores magical—curating unique American-made artisan goods, telling artists' stories, treating customers like family—translated beautifully online. People stuck at home, desperate for joy and connection, found both on her website.

The numbers tell the story: In 2022, kinksandquirks.com was named to Brightpearl's prestigious Lightning 50—a worldwide ranking of the fastest-growing e-commerce retailers. Out of millions of online stores globally, Jennifer's made the list.

Read that again: A small-town shop owner who started with tutus and birthday parties for dogs built one of the fastest-growing e-commerce companies in the world.

What Makes Us Different (And Why It Matters More Than Ever)

We're not Amazon. We're the anti-Amazon.

Every product on kinksandquirks.com has a story. Every purchase supports a real American artist—a glassblower in Oregon, a jeweler in Texas, a furniture maker in North Carolina. When you buy from us, your money doesn't disappear into a corporate void. It feeds families. It keeps studios open. It allows creators to keep creating.

We've represented over 1,400 artists across the United States. Our selection ranges from $5 whimsies to $5,000 statement pieces—all carefully curated, all meaningful, all carrying the quirky, joyful spirit that's been our signature for over 25 years.

As Jennifer told Smart Retailer Magazine years ago (and it's still true today): "My business structure has a very positive 'trickle-down' effect. The money spent here stays with small, independent business owners and artists. It stays in the USA."

Our Philosophy: Happiness Isn't About Making a Living, It's About Making a Life

Jennifer's journey taught her something profound: success isn't about how many stores you own. It's about resilience, adaptation, and staying true to your mission even when everything changes.

Yes, we miss the physical stores. We miss greeting customers at the door (with Zack the Maltese, our legendary canine greeter). We miss the spontaneous rainbow parties and the feeling of community in a shared space.

But we've learned something powerful: Joy isn't confined to four walls. Whimsy travels through fiber optic cables. Community can flourish in comment sections and email exchanges.

Today, kinksandquirks.com serves customers across America and beyond—bringing the same carefully curated magic Jennifer created in Williamsburg to living rooms everywhere. We're still supporting American artisans. Still telling their stories. Still making days brighter.

We're just doing it with better reach and, frankly, more comfortable shoes.

The Future is Quirky (And We're Just Getting Started)

Through CultureFix, we continue supporting arts and culture in Greater Williamsburg and beyond. Our digital platform allows us to represent more artists, reach more customers, and create more impact than we ever could with storefronts alone.

The Lightning 50 recognition wasn't luck—it was the result of 15+ years of digital strategy, relationship-building, authentic storytelling, and refusing to compromise on quality or mission.

As CoVa Biz Magazine once wrote about us: "We're always on the lookout for unique ways to have fun, excite our neighbors, make days brighter, extend our reach beyond our store walls and think outside the box."

COVID closed our physical doors. But it couldn't close our spirit.

We're small but mighty. We're scarred but stronger. We're online-only now, but our footprint reaches further than ever.

Welcome to Our Whimsical World

Daily Press Choice Awards Gala - celebrating community, connection, and the power of local business

Surrounded by the quirky, colorful, joyful artisan goods that define our brand - this is what makes shopping with us different

Whether you're searching for the perfect gift, supporting American makers, or just need a dose of joy in your inbox—we're here.

Same mission. Same heart. Same tutus (we still wear them, just at our home offices now).

Different address. Same magic.

Shop with us. Support artisans. Choose quirky.

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Jennifer Raines, Founder & Chief Quirk Officer
kinksandquirks.com | Est. 1997 | Still Dancing

"Be Unique... Buy Unique."
"Passionately Handmade by American Artisans."

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Accolades & Recognition

• Lightning 50 (2022) - Worldwide Fastest Growing E-Commerce Retailers
• NICHE Top Retailer Award - Best Website
• Top 40 Under 40
• Women in Business Achievement Award
• Best of Virginia
• Best of Williamsburg
• Featured in Smart Retailer Magazine, CoVa Biz Magazine, Daily Press

Our Impact

• 1,400+ American artists represented since 1997
• 400+ artists featured at any given time
• 25+ years supporting handcraft and creativity
• Co-founder, CultureFix nonprofit (enhancing cultural vitality through arts events)

Follow our continued adventures: @kinksandquirks