A Shopper's Oasis

A. Dodson's Celebrates 20 Years!

Stepping into A. Dodson’s is a full sensory experience. With items beautifully displayed from floor to ceiling, the aroma of amazing candles, and even the taste of Chapel Hill Toffee – the store’s signature snack – A. Dodson’s offers a one-of-a-kind shopping adventure.  

A. Dodson's offers a wide variety of interesting products from candles to clothing. 

“We are a lifestyle store, offering the cocktail dress you need to wear to a party and the hostess gift you’ll take along with you,” says owner Alison Dodson. “We work really hard to be a destination for our shoppers, offering a unique and transformative experience each time you walk through the doors.” The store, located on Bridge Road in Suffolk, offers trendy clothing for adults and children, as well as exquisite gifts and home furnishings, and everything in between.  

It is safe to say that a career in retail is part of Alison’s DNA. Kirchmier’s general store, a long-time occupant of Portsmouth Boulevard, was owned and operated by her grandfather. “They had merchandise from floor to ceiling – just like we do, from paint and nails, to Parcheesi boards, and even an in-house butcher,” says Alison. “My grandfather joked that ‘if Kirchmier’s doesn’t have it, you don’t need it!’” Her uncle eventually took over the general store, and Alison remembers days of sitting at the turnstile and watching the clerks bag items for customers. Years later in the 70s, Alison’s mother, Alice, would go on to open an antique store. “My mom took me to the Atlanta Market with her when I was 14. That’s when I fell in love with the wholesale side of retail business.”  

After college, Alison moved to New York and worked for a number of retail giants – including Anthropologie and LVMH – the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate known for brands like Louis Vuitton and Givenchy – before returning to Hampton Roads. “My mom was ready to slow down the operation of the antique store, but we still wanted to have a presence in the retail space. That was the start of A. Dodson’s.” The store, officially founded in 2003, celebrates Alison’s parents through its name. “The “A” stands for Alice, my mom, and Dodson was my father’s longtime nickname,” she says.  

In addition to creating an amazing shopping experience, the team at A. Dodson’s is also deeply committed to the community. Their Round Up for Charity program encourages shoppers to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar. Funds collected are matched by A. Dodson’s and given to a different charity or nonprofit organization each month. “We were being asked for auction items or small donations, and we couldn’t really feel the impact,” says Alison. “We came up with the Round Up concept and gave away $1,500 in our first year, which has grown to $225,000 in total donations in 2023 to a variety of worthy causes.”  

Alison Dodson continues the long family retail tradition with the A. Dodson’s store in Suffolk, founded in 2003. In 2023, A. Dodson’s received a Global Innovation Award in Giftwares, an international award that recognizes independent home and housewares retailers. Stores are reviewed for excellence in several categories, including overall mission, vision, and strategy, store design and layout, visual merchandising, and customer service, among others. “The judges specifically loved our social impact and community focus,” says Alison. “It was incredible to be recognized for being intentional and detailed about every aspect of our business, including choosing local vendors as much as we can.”