Exotique: Boutique & Gallery

Clothing store, Art gallery, Fabric store in Durham, NC

Address

319 W Main St, Durham, NC, 27701

Phone

(919) 688-5747

Website

theexotique.com

About Exotique: Boutique & Gallery

Exotique: Boutique & Gallery is a global goods shop and art gallery located at 319 W Main St in downtown Durham, North Carolina, marking its 20th anniversary in 2026 after two decades of bringing the world to Durham. The boutique carries an eclectic mix of accessories, including earrings, necklaces, scarves, bags, hats, rings, and waistbeads, alongside a large selection of art pieces such as masks, sculptures, chairs, cushions, blankets, tapestries, baskets, tablecloths, and framed paintings sourced from artists including Jonas Fasco and Kunle Adeyemi, among others. Exotique also stocks apparel ranging from Bull City-branded local merchandise to traditional West African attire, giving customers a place to shop both locally rooted and internationally inspired goods under one roof. The shop is built around fair trade practices and works to create economic opportunities for women artisans around the world, while its in-store gallery gives regional and North Carolina artists exhibition space they could never afford on their own. The business is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m., closed Mondays. Current promotions include 20% off select oils in-store. Customers can reach the shop at (919) 688-5747, follow along on Instagram at @exotiquedurham, and browse dedicated pages covering shipping information, refund policy, FAQs, and Did You Know facts about the business's sourcing and mission.

Exotique was founded in 2006 by two entrepreneurs, one from Nigeria and one from England, who relocated to North Carolina and opened a shop rooted in their shared, and very different, cultural backgrounds. From the beginning, the founders wanted Exotique to be more than a retail store, building in gallery space so that local and regional artists who could never afford a place to showcase their craft would have somewhere to display and sell their work. Grounded in their Christian faith, which the owners describe as the fuel behind their work, they set out to connect with the Durham community by sourcing authentic, fair trade items from around the world at affordable prices. Over the years the business has supported artisans and families in multiple countries, using its purchasing as a way to create income opportunities abroad while also partnering with organizations that extend help to many families locally. Today the shop is run with team members including Hakim and Denene, carrying the original mission forward as Exotique heads into its 20th anniversary in 2026.

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