French Quarter One-of-a-Kind Series: Mirror Mirror on Royal Street

By Tara McLellan

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	Mirror Mirror 933 Royal Street, 504-566-1990

If you think mirrors are only good for putting on make-up and checking your appearance, then a visit to Mirror Mirror may have you taking a second look. At Mirror Mirror on historic Royal Street in the Vieux Carre, owners Betty and Ellie Fowler have created a jewel-box-like store that will forever change the way you look at mirrors.

Originally starting their career with a shop offering a wide variety of British and French antique objects and furniture, Ellie Fowler and her mother-in-law Betty Fowler decided to move to the French Quarter and specialize in one truly special thing. Something that caught their imaginations. Something that they could feel passionately about. That something was antique and vintage mirrors. Talk to this duo only for a short time and you will soon learn their passion is true. "These mirrors are more than just antiques," says Ellie. "They are romantic remnants of peoples' lives. They show the continuum of generations reflected in them." And, for the Fowlers, the mirror experience goes beyond the past. According to them, mirrors will also change the way you view the present. "When you gaze upon one of these treasures, your life and all those past lives are embracing each other," says Ellie, "Would that you could see all those that looked in these mirrors."

Take a tour of the shop and you will find beautifully visible proof that mirrors are more than simple looking glasses or objects of art. To Ellie Fowler, each mirror has a personality all its own that adds character to the piece. "Each one of these mirrors has a unique story," she says. "You see the details of the mirror. You see the small repairs people have made. Someone took the time to treasure each one." The Fowlers have indeed made it their mission to get to know each piece that comes into their shop, front, back and sideways. "We wanted to learn one thing really well so that people could feel confident in our knowledge," says Ellie Fowler. "If you are going to pay the money for something, you should demand expertise. We only buy things we really love, because those are the items we like to sell and can really be enthusiastic about."

That Romantic French Quarter Feeling
Nestled in the heart of the French Quarter, location has also become an integral part of the personality of Mirror Mirror. The romantic feeling of the shop mirrors the romantic quality of the French Quarter, quite literally. "This is the coolest place to be," says Ellie. "I am a New Orleanian, but my heart still beats faster when I cross Canal Street and walk into the Quarter. The awesome atmosphere of this historic area is a part of this shop. From the art on the street, to the architecture, and the people, the French Quarter makes you look at things a little differently, a little more romantically." As passionate about the French Quarter as she is about her collection, Ellie Fowler has made sure that the feeling of city spills over from the street into her shop. "The French Quarter transforms people the same way our shop and these mirror jewels transform our customers. We can help people look at these antiques in a new way. We may not always sell you a mirror, but if you visit, you will certainly never look at a mirror in the same way."

For Betty and Ellie Fowler, owning Mirror Mirror is more than a job, it is truly a labor of love. "We learn something new every day and we find new objects every day, from paper mache to federal styles to seashell frames. There's always something new about these mirrors to learn and share," says Ellie. And her passion is obvious. From the care and detail in the presentation in the shop to her deep knowledge of each mirror's history, this shopkeeper is in love. "I love my job. I look forward to coming to work every day. There are always new stories to tell. What could be better than that?"

Mirror Mirror
933 Royal Street, 504-566-1990
Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday
12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays

 

Tara McLellan, a freelance writer, book author, and columnist, has been featured in Metropolitan Home Magazine, New Orleans Magazine, New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles, and St. Charles Avenue Magazine. She lives and works in the New Orleans area.