Our Story
Who We Are
The Phoenix is a thoughtfully curated, lifestyle brand located in a space that inspires creativity and wanderlust. Our Georgetown, D.C. shop is deeply rooted in the community, opening its doors more than 70 years ago.
Third-generation owner Samantha Hays Gushner’s commitment to sustainability and close relationships with our designers and artisans ensures that our clothing, jewelry and home collection come from responsible, eco-friendly sources.
Our Intention
Through immersive events, mission-based passion projects, and a commitment to giving back we strive to support our community’s desire for more sustainable living.
Our History
For nearly seven decades, The Phoenix remains a beloved Georgetown destination: a family-run shop where artistry, craftsmanship, and global connection come together.
Founded in 1955 by Bill and Betty Hays, The Phoenix began as a small boutique inspired by their travels through Mexico. Each year, the couple journeyed south with their family, returning with handwoven textiles, folk art, clothing, and jewelry that reflected the spirit and color of the regions they explored. Their vision was simple but enduring: to share beauty with purpose.
In 1980, their son John and his wife Sharon took up the mantle, expanding the shop’s reach while staying true to its roots in ethical and sustainable design. Under their care, The Phoenix became a space where discovery and design lived side by side, and where every piece told a story.
Today, the legacy continues with the third generation. Samantha Hays Gushner honors her family’s heritage while bringing a modern sensibility to the shop’s curated mix of global fashion, fine jewelry, and an ever expanding home collection. Through every evolution, The Phoenix remains what it has always been - a celebration of creativity, community, and connection.
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About Samantha
As the third-generation owner of The Phoenix, Samantha carries forward her family’s legacy with a deep sense of purpose - to celebrate craftsmanship, connection, and the beauty of everyday living.
Samantha grew up on a farm in Maine, where early mornings, open fields, and a menagerie of animals nurtured her love of nature and compassion for living things. A lifelong vegetarian, she developed a strong appreciation for sustainability and mindful consumption long before it became part of the cultural conversation. Her love for animals remains constant, as does her love for cooking, which inspires the shop’s ever-growing cookbook collection and its celebration of food as a universal language of care and creativity.
Her eye for design is grounded in a love of the practical and the beautiful for the kinds of utilitarian objects that bring quiet joy to daily rituals. This sensibility shapes The Phoenix’s home collection, where every item marries form and function with intention.
Samantha’s minimalist personal style guides her approach to fashion. She gravitates toward timeless, beautifully crafted clothing made to last. Her close relationships with the creative designers and artisans behind the brands she carries are at the heart of the store’s unique collection of fine and hand-crafted jewelry, each piece telling its own story of artistry and care.
Whether she’s in the shop greeting customers, exploring Maine with her husband, two kids, and five dogs, or discovering new makers across the globe, Samantha’s guiding philosophy remains the same: surround yourself with things made with love, integrity, and purpose, and share them with others.
We're glad you made it this far. Come back anytime-there’s always something new to discover. Or drop us a note-we’re always up for a chat.
