Dekko was originally the creation of Steve Hatton and his wife Alicia. Steve is pictured here in front of rugs made from recycled saris, a traditional female garment worn in India.After the success of Dekko Trading’s recent move to Madison Street and the community building accomplished at Mainx24, Steve Bower and the rest of the staff are looking to grow and become a more established part of their new neighborhood.
Typically operating as an online retailer and wholesaler, Dekko has opened its physical doors only over the holidays since originally locating in Rossville in 2013, but starting in February, the store will be experimenting with a physical storefront, open each Tuesday.
“When I bought the building, there was no one living around me, but now I’m in a community with all new houses,” said Bower. “While we’re not at a point to have a storefront open all the time, being right off Main [Street] means we’re exposed to more people.”
Even at its previous location at 1823 Rossville Ave., the store was seeing growth, necessitating the move to a bigger space, he said.
The store functions as an import route for artisans living in India to create a sustainable life for themselves and their families. The venture was initially started by Bower’s close friends, Chattanooga natives Shane and Alicia Hatton, who currently live in India working as the organization’s operations managers.