By Regina Molaro
RED BANK – In recent years, we’ve all spent more time at home with our families and we’ve entertained a lot more than we dined out. We’ve also become more focused on creating comfort and achieving wellness.
“I believe a luxury wellness lifestyle begins in our everyday lives. How we sleep greatly impacts how we feel,” said Kerry Bray, owner and CEO of Down To Basics, a luxury bedding provider renowned for its superior down products. The collection includes comforters, pillows, linens and gifts.
The shop, which has been in The Galleria in Red Bank for more than three decades, is going through a bit of a transformation. In July, Bray purchased Down To Basics from its longtime owner, Susan Fowler. Last month they officially announced the transfer of ownership.
A visionary and wellness aficionado, Bray has plans to revamp and expand the brand but said she will remain true to its roots.
When the new owner and past owner met, Bray felt a “divine connection.” Bray was seeking new office space for her other business venture, Wander Travel Company. She ended up renting from Fowler.
A luxury travel boutique, Wander offers custom travel experiences and membership programs. From transformational travel to wellness retreats, its specialty is the experience within the trip.
“We became friends and talked about family, life and business. Through our talks, I learned that Down to Basics bedding was in Miraval Resorts, where I host retreats and that’s why I believed that taking over the brand was meant to be,” said Bray.
The new year will bring about a variety of changes. In February 2024, Down To Basics will have a new address in Rumson at 17 W. River Road. The location will be home to a boutique and showroom space.
“As a customer, I experienced how incredible the comforter and pillows feel,” said Bray. “I was inspired to carry on the legacy of Down To Basics and bring new ideas to the brand.”
A self-described “free spirit” and “seeker of all things wellness,” Bray plans to extend the Down To Basics brand into a luxury lifestyle concept. New branding will reflect her vision.
With Bray at the helm, the Rumson boutique will continue to offer the same items Down To Basics has come to be known for, but she will also unveil sleepwear, travel, spa and other lifestyle products. Some seasonal surprises will be sprinkled into the mix.
Down To Basics is proud to offer a bit of luxury at a variety of price points. Its superior quality Siberian down comforters range from $199 for the travel comforter to $3,000 for the ultra-light comforter, which features a patented design. Pillows are priced between $25 and $700; sheets range from $30 to $3,000.
Beyond catering to the Monmouth area, the Down To Basics collection is available at specialty shops and hotels worldwide, including Blue Bay Inn in Atlantic Highlands, The Breakers Palm Beach, The Charles Hotel in Massachusetts, and The Mercer Hotels, among others.
“It was very synchronistic that some of the beds in the hotels Wander Travel Company utilized for retreats have Down To Basics comforters and pillows. Down To Basics is a great complement to Wander,” said Bray.
At press time, Bray was busy creating a new e-commerce site to accommodate shoppers nationwide. It is scheduled to launch early in the new year. Although the items in the collection are manufactured in worldwide, Down To Basics’ patented comforter is made in America.
“We are also adding handpicked products, building on existing relationships with people in the trade, and creating new relationships so we can partner with designers, builders, hospitals, spas and hotels,” said Bray.
An option to embroider items will expand the brand’s customized offerings.
Down To Basics is currently having a sale, which runs through Jan. 31. After that, visit the new space in Rumson for Bray’s refresh on this classic brand.
The article originally appeared in the December 21 – December 27, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
