Partner Spotlight: a paid placement by a neighborhood business, not editorial coverage.
Favor is what happened when a human resources career met a longtime dream.
Opening a gift boutique had always been a dream for Danielle D'Allaird, founder of Favor. After building a career in human resources, she stepped away from the corporate world to bring it to life. The name sums up her idea of the shop: a favor, as she defines it, is a gift of kindness, thoughtfully chosen and beautifully given.
The location mattered. D'Allaird moved to Charlotte after graduating from Florida State University and has called South Charlotte home for more than 20 years. Favor sits in StoneCrest at Piper Glen, a neighborhood gift boutique with a curated mix of well-loved brands, distinctive finds and local favorites, for life's biggest celebrations, everyday occasions and the little moments between.
"I genuinely enjoy choosing and giving gifts just as much as I enjoy receiving them," D'Allaird says. "Favor brings together so many things I love, creativity, connection and helping people celebrate the moments that matter."
People, in both careers
Running a boutique is a long way from human resources, but she has found the heart of both jobs is the same: people and relationships. Years in leadership taught her to listen carefully and make people feel valued, and that shapes the experience at Favor. She credits a circle of friends and family who helped get the doors open and still show up, and a team she calls her "Favor-ites."
"This business may have started as my dream, but it has become something so much bigger because of the team working alongside me and the community surrounding us," she says.
The question they hear most
"What do you buy for someone who has everything?" Many customers stop in on the way to a birthday dinner, retirement party or baby shower, sometimes with minutes to spare, trusting the team to find something that suits the style and the budget. Complimentary gift wrapping is the finishing touch. Some of the most meaningful visits are the quiet ones, a sympathy gift or a milestone marked for someone loved. Growth has come largely by word of mouth.
Nola
D'Allaird's English bulldog, Nola, was by her side when the shop opened and helped welcome the earliest customers. Nola died a few days before Christmas. A bulldog statue now stands near the front door, doubles as the door holder on nice days, and is the one thing at Favor that is decidedly not for sale.
Favor supports neighborhood schools, charities, community events and fellow local businesses. Away from the shop, D'Allaird spends her time traveling and with her husband and their daughter, Vivian. Her advice for anyone starting a business: trust your vision, listen to your customers and take the first step, even when it feels uncertain.
Favor 7868 Rea Road, Suite F, StoneCrest at Piper Glen 980.207.2195 | Instagram @favorCLT
This story appears in the October 2026 issue of Stroll Providence.