Homme Essentials: From Head To Toe

by Charles McGuigan 10.2026

It seems almost predetermined that Richmond’s most iconic boutique specializing in menswear and accoutrement would come to settle along the central commercial strip in the city’s inimitable neighborhood of Bellevue. Each business operating along MacArthur Avenue is a singularity in its own right, from Stir Crazy Cafe and Once Upon A Vine, to Demi’s Mediterranean Kitchen and Dot’s Back Inn, and all the other storefronts there that house independently owned shops and restaurants that are unparalleled in all of Richmond.    

Homme Essentials, which was founded in 2020 and operated for five years out of a storefront on Lafayette Avenue, signed the lease for the site on MacArthur on Valentine’s Day, 2025. They immediately started their build out, and had a soft-opening about three months later in early May. “We got it as a vanilla shell and we were not messing around,”  says Christina Campitell, co-owner of Homme Essentials.  “I had done a lot of location scouting back in the day and I knew that this area is exactly where I wanted to be because of the type of community it has.”

Christina tells me a man came into her shop recently who said his parents live right around the corner from Homme. “This gentleman, who's an artist, and has traveled the world, has visited so many different cities and is based out of San Diego, said, ‘It’s undeniable, this area is a true community.”

Both Christina and her business partner, Alan Long (he also founded Square Trade Goods Co.), have lifelong experience in retail.  The pair met when they worked side by side at Need Supply Co. which operated in Richmond for 25 years.  Christina and Alan possess an aesthetic sense that is reflected in the design and layout of their commercial space on MacArthur and the products they sell there. 

“We sell quality,” says Christina. “And that kind of clothing gives you confidence, makes you feel good.”

The best publicity for Homme comes from the apparel itself. “When you find a well-fitting garment that you are really excited about, you are going to go to it five times more often and you're going to tell other people about it,” Christina says. “I mean, the people that wear our garments are my walking billboards.”

The day before this interview, Christina sat at a table in Stir Crazy, nursing a cup of coffee. When she looked up, a woman she recognized smiled down at her. “She was one of my customers,” says Christina. “And she was so excited to see me and pointed down at her feet, and said, ‘Look, look, I'm wearing the Salomon sneaker that I got from you last time.’”

You probably won’t find many of the items they sell at Homme at other stores in the area.

“We curate our products intentionally for that reason,” Christina says. “People who shop with us have access to things that are not sold around here. Higher end products for men, from head to toe.” Like a true haberdashery, Homme sells not only attire and shoes, they also stock accessories, everything from pocket knives to carabiners. Even candles. “And now we carry women's products, too, because we have the space,” Christina adds.

But folks shop here not just because of the merchandise.  “People are coming to us for other reasons, too,” says Christina. “It is an experience, and a welcome environment for people who want to dip their toe into fashion. We provide a clean, upscale line. And there is nothing stuffy about it. Nothing pretentious. I like to communicate our point of view in a very specific way.”

And like many businesses that have opened in the last few years, it’s a return to brick-and-mortar, favoring human contact instead of impersonal online ordering that fattens the bloated bellies of billionaires. “It's a tangible experience and it’s something to do,” Christina tells me. “And what's faster than walking into a store, and walking out with your item.”

Human interaction with sales associates can help the customer in numerous ways. “One of my favorite things to do is to give size advice,” says Christina. “A lot of people are going to ask for a certain size, but they're not going to need that size. I can help shorten their try-on experience. I've sold this pair of pants for two years. It runs big. And to be able to transmit this knowledge to someone else is really valuable.”

For Christina Campitell and her co-workers, it’s all about customer satisfaction. “The people make Homme Essentials,” she says. “Without them, we do not exist. The amount of regular customers that come through our doors is so rewarding. And it's the best compliment we can receive.”

Homme Essentials

4028 MacArthur Avenue, Suite C

Richmond, VA 23227

(804) 918-5395

www.shophomme.com