Street Style: Meet Molly Merbeth and Blaire Bartlett of Reunions
For nearly four decades, Reunions has been a light-filled gift shop tucked in the heart of Alexandria where generations of shoppers have come to get gifts for all of life’s events. For new co-owners Molly Merbeth and Blaire Bartlett, it is also where they grew up, in different ways and at different times in their lives, but where they mutually found a home.
Molly is a true Alexandrian. She grew up in the city, went through the public school system, and first walked into Reunions as a little girl with her mom, a former fine jewelry buyer and fashion merchandising major with a lifelong soft spot for retail. After years of being a frequent customer, her mom casually asked Barbara Watts, then the store’s owner, if she was hiring, and she walked out with a job. Just a few years later, when Molly got to high school, Barbara took her on as well.
“I worked Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons,” Molly recalled. “Dusting, pricing, this and that. I loved it.”
She loved it so much that even when she went to the University of Virginia for college, Molly kept coming back to work every chance she could. And that didn’t stop once she graduated. Through a career in event planning and a stint in interior design, Reunions was the constant part-time shift she never gave up, even when the rest of her life got full.
Meet Molly Merbeth
Self-Styled
Shoot Location: Reunions
Photography: Renée C. Gage
Blaire is originally from Columbus, Ohio, and landed in D.C. in 2005, fresh out of Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, where she had played golf on scholarship. Her first job out of school was as a scheduler for a member of Congress, which meant she was also the de facto office gift-buyer. When she asked the woman she had replaced where to go to get gifts for occasions, the answer was immediate: Reunions.
On her very first visit, Blaire noticed a small handwritten note inside of a frame near the register that read, “Part-time help wanted.” She asked about it on the spot, and by the next weekend, she was picking up shifts to fund the seemingly endless parade of bachelorettes, bridesmaid dresses, and weddings that were eating at her post-graduate bank account.
But just like Molly, even as Blaire built an extremely successful career on the Hill, she never left Reunions. “I just couldn’t give it up,” she says. “The women became a second family.” And for nearly twenty years, she’s been doing it all—weekdays on the Hill, weekends in the shop.
Meet Blaire Bartlett
Self-Styled
Shoot Location: Reunions
Photography: Renée C. Gage
The path to ownership began with a staff meeting Molly had missed—a detail she now shares with a laugh. Reading through the minutes, she spotted a line at the bottom: “Barbara is considering retiring and is looking for a potential buyer for the store.”
“Ever since I started working at Reunions, I always said that I wanted to own a small shop. I love it. Something about it is for me,” Molly says. “And when I saw that note, I started wondering, wouldn’t it be crazy if I bought the store?”
As she sat with the idea, Molly decided she didn’t want to do it alone. At only 27, purchasing a store felt like a big undertaking, so she texted Blaire: “Barbara might want to retire and sell Reunions! 👀 Should we do something?” Within days, the two of them were sitting across from Barbara, ready to write up a contract.
“It was probably one of the most seamless transfers of power you could imagine,” Blaire says, while laughing at her Congressional lingo. “Having Barbara’s support, and the staff’s support, made it easy.”
On June 1, 2025, the keys officially changed hands. Molly stepped in full-time. Blaire kept her Hill job and took on the weekends. Together, they’ve become the kind of teammates every small business needs—Molly, the steady hand inside the shop; Blaire, the creative visionary who keeps it feeling fresh. Neither could do it without the other, and neither would want to.
When asked about the future, Molly and Blaire aren’t interested in a reinvention. They’re interested in keeping the blend of old and new that has always defined Reunions, while thoughtfully introducing new lines and programming that will only deepen the store’s connection to the community. Monthly Mahjong lessons are already on the calendar, and charity partnerships and community events are in the works.
“We sometimes forget we haven’t even owned it a year yet,” Blaire says. “We’re taking our time. We want to be intentional.”
Reunions has always been more than a gift shop. It is a family. It’s where Molly’s love for retail grew into a career, where Blaire found community at her home away from home, and where the two of them found a partnership they never could have expected would lead them to this current chapter.
In a world that feels overrun with big-box stores and the same products constantly being pushed, Reunions is a refreshingly unique, local, and beloved store—and that’s exactly how Molly Merbeth and Blaire Bartlett intend to keep it.
ABOUT MOLLY & BLAIRE
Your neighborhood:
Molly: Seminary Ridge in Alexandria.
Blaire: Seminary Hill in Alexandria
Your hometown:
Molly: Born and raised in Alexandria!
Blaire: Westerville, OH but have been in the area since 2005!
What would surprise people about you?
Molly: Hmm, I feel like I’m a pretty open book but maybe that I don’t drink coffee/caffeine. Or maybe that I’m only 29 and co-own a store. Customers tend to be surprised when I say I’m one of the owners.
Blaire: I have a full time job outside of Reunions.
Favorite book or movie:
Molly: Favorite book is more of a favorite author - anything by Fredrik Backman. I love his books so much!
Blaire: Favorite book is The Hobbit - my Dad made me read it when I graduated high school as a way to prepare for the new adventures of leaving home and going college…I’ve re-read it about 5 times since.
Guilty pleasure:
Molly: A glass of bubbly for sure.
Blaire: Thai take-out and a good show to binge watch on a Friday night
Latest binge-watch:
Molly: Paradise.. Holy moly is that a good show.
Blaire: Ludwig on Britbox! LOVE British crime dramas.
Bucket list travel destination:
Molly: Greece!
Blaire: I blame my Mom for this, a European river cruise
STYLE
Define your style in three words or less:
Molly: Relaxed, cozy, and easy.
Blaire: Polished but comfortable
The go-to piece in your wardrobe:
Molly: I am an accessory girl so my gold necklace that has a diamond pendant that was one of my mom’s earrings.
Blaire: I have two that I’ve been focused on recently: a pair of Frye Harness boots and a collection of gold bracelets from one of our best selling vendors, enewton.
Favorite trend:
Molly: Honestly I don’t really pay attention to style trends - is that bad!?
Blaire: I have embraced wearing sneakers and dresses, and I don’t hate it.
Beauty product you can’t live without:
Molly: Nars creamy concealer.
Blaire: Concealer and Sweed mascara, gotta cover up those dark circles and blonde eyelashes!
Boots, dress shoes or sneakers?
Molly: Sneakers 100000%
Blaire: I wear all three, but if I could, I’d wear those Frye Harness boots every day.
WELLNESS
Go-to way to de-stress:
Molly: Vegging on the sofa with my three pups - cuddling with those sweet dogs is so peaceful.
Blaire: I should say exercise, right? But recently I’ve been indulging in facials from the Klar Spa (sorry Alexandria, it’s in Fairfax!) that have been such a little slice of heaven.
Favorite way to stay active:
Molly: Alloy Personal Training! Been going there twice a week for two years strong now.
Blaire: Right now, walking
Wellness goal:
Molly: This year it has been to take my vitamins every day which I’ve done a great job at so far.
Blaire: Making healthier meals at home
Want to try:
Molly: Pilates.. Everyone seems to love it so much so I want to see what that's all about.
Blaire: Being consistent at working out
Proudest wellness achievement:
Molly: This may be sort of lame but I really value my consistent nighttime routine with a specific bedtime - good sleep is non-negotiable for me.
Blaire: I had a really bad ski accident three years ago and I’m finally in a place where my legs feel like they can handle consistent movement - it’s been a journey!
HOME
Favorite room in your home:
Molly: My home is my favorite place in the entire world so this is a hard one but probably my living room.
Blaire: I’m about to start work on my tiny condo so hopefully all the rooms will be my favorite!
Antiques, modern, or a mix?
Molly: The true answer is a mix but in my heart of hearts, my house would be all antiques. I love pieces with a story.
Blaire: Antiques for sure.
Last item you bought for your home:
Molly: A new cute scalloped doormat to freshen up for Spring.
Blaire: Strangely, also a doormat! One of those made in Maine from lobster rope…also to freshen up for Spring.
Favorite way to entertain:
Molly: I love hosting a girls night featuring an epic charcuterie cheese board.
Blaire: I don’t host much because I don’t have a lot of space, but I love catching up with friends over long, leisurely meal where no one is in a hurry.
Clutter-free or well-lived in?
Molly: Another mix - my space feels well-lived in and loved but I keep it clutter free and clean. Helps my peace of mind but also with three dogs - you gotta keep it clean so they don’t get into anything crazy!
Blaire: Well-lived in but organized.
Next planned purchase:
Molly: Paint to spruce up my front gate planters! Reimagining what I already have instead of buying new.
Blaire: I have enlisted the help of Reclaim Interiors to help me re-design my condo, which will start next month, and I can’t wait. I can decorate a window no problem, but I struggle with my own space.
ALEXANDRIA
What do you love about Alexandria Stylebook?
Molly: I love how well it allows me to get to know about other business owners in the area! It’s fun to get insight not only on their businesses but also who they are and what they value.
Blaire: It shows me a side of Alexandria that I don’t always see. I’m consistently learning about new places to visit or things to do that can be found right at my doorstep.
Favorite spot in Alexandria:
Molly: I’m sure a lot of people say Old Town, but we’re so lucky to live somewhere so charming and full of life. It’s such a happy place to spend time!
Blaire: Mount Vernon - I can easily spend the day there and I force any out of town visitors to go. You have history, antiques, George Washington, beautiful grounds (that you can walk with your dog!), the education center, and a great gift shop and restaurant. What more do you need?
Your go-to shop:
Molly: Penny Post. I have always had a love for all things paper goods and cards!
Blaire: Of course Reunions. However, I’ve been into bringing baked goods as hostess gifts and showing up with a loaf of pumpkin chocolate chip bread from Great Harvest Bread is chef’s kiss.
Best food spot:
Molly: Lately it’s been Thompson’s Italian. There is nothing better than a big bowl of pasta!
Blaire: A former boss introduced me to Old House Cosmopolitan on Cameron Street and I haven’t looked back. I bring everyone there.
Favorite local organization(s):
Molly: I’ve always been a huge animal lover, which is why I so appreciate the work of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. Their dedication to protecting and caring for animals who cannot advocate for themselves is so important.
Blaire: Same - this is why Molly and I get along so well!
Annual Alexandria event you most look forward to:
Molly: Art on the Avenue! It is so fun to stroll the avenue and I always find unique gifts there.
Blaire: Scottish Walk! My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel passed away last Fall but seeing the contingent of cavaliers in the parade was our favorite Christmas season activity.
What motto/quote do you live by?
Molly: My mom once said to me that the only thing you have to do in life is treat everyone with kindness and that has always stuck with me.
Blaire: It’s a simple one - but an old one - treat people the way you want to be treated.
