<< More #FriendsOfTheStudio

Meet Sofi Madison, owner of Olives & Grace, in the 4th #FriendsOfTheStudio photo shoot & interview! Sofi and I have been friends since high school, and I have watched in awe over the last decade as she has grown Olives & Grace from the ground up, to become a truly iconic boutique in the South End of Boston and beyond. She is the real deal—genuine, talented, and kind, with a passion for supporting artists, makers and local and businesses. In fact, the motto of Olives & Grace is just that—“A Curtsy to the Makers”! Get to know Sofi all this week on Instagram and Facebook.

“I'm Sofi Madison, youngest of 3, owner of Olives & Grace, and happy South End resident. Di and I have been friends for 18 years and I'm a proud Friend of the Studio!”

“As a child, I was super talkative and pretty easily hyped. I've won ‘Team Spirit’ a few times which feels well-earned. They usually give that award to kids who aren't good at sports, which I find interesting...”

“I'm not artistic, but am drawn to the whole existence of artists.  I'm more drawn to people who are creating, than I am what they are creating. The thought process around their decisions, the chosen details, their commitment, and solitude.”

“Around 2007 I started researching 1-for-1 companies, and going to any lecture or panel I could on ‘doing good’ through retail and the food industry. I worked in restaurants throughout my 20s and wanted to merge what I knew with what inspired me. The original vision was a picnic shack on the way to Sonoma, where you'd grab your local cheese, fair trade snacks, baguette, wine, etc. That's where the name came from... you have your simple, beautiful product, (like bean to bar chocolate or ‘Olives’) and ‘Grace’—a nod to how it was either grown or made with integrity. I've started with gift boxes and will see if I make it to picnic baskets some day.”

“I moved back to Boston to start the business because it's where I'm from and I wanted to start small. When I began looking for a place to open up shop, the South End was it. It's the kind of place where you get back what you put in. If you care for your neighbors, pick up trash on the sidewalk, volunteer in your community, smile—you feel yourself grow part of something deeper.  That's the soil I wanted to plant Olives & Grace in because that's what our company is about - supporting others.”

“Every day I'm grateful for 3 things: We use our platform to spread positivity, we listen to good music, and we can start creative projects whenever we want. That's freedom.”

“A few months ago I had a dream that my landlord gave my shop to another business without telling me. I was crying in my sleep, wanting just one more day. It's been almost a decade of me identifying myself with my business, and I want to keep an eye on that.”

“It's happened a handful of times that women come to the shop and buy a baby gift to reveal to their husbands that they're pregnant. So for the rest of the day I'm the only other person who knows! I love being the keeper of a good secret like that. Sometimes you're part of a celebration, sometimes you're handwriting a note for a family tragedy. Those are sacred moments.”

“So many friends and neighbors are doing cool things. I'm a huge fan of my girl Gina at deWolfe Leather Goods. She's on another level all together. I'm also a big fan of Sophie at Storeore—her jewelry is timeless yet always fresh. I learn a lot from watching the fellas at Sault New England, a shop I look up to. We all share certain struggles and can tap the other for support or insight.”

“I hope for Olves & Grace to continue growing strong roots in the community. And more than anything, I hope that some day when I close OG, I will have find another way to spread love that feels just as true.”

About Diana Levine:

Diana Levine is a Boston-based advertising and editorial photographer. She photographs portraits out of her studio based in the Boston suburbs for magazines, brands, and agencies. Her clients include Boston Magazine, Boston Globe Magazine, Rolling Stone, Billboard, MTV, Converse, and The Clinton Foundation.

Diana has photographed celebrity, athlete, and politicians such as Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys, President Obama, President Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, New Kids on the Block, John Legend, Hanson, Elvis Costello, One Direction, Patti LaBelle, Ludacris, Julian Edelman from the Patriots, Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics, and more. Her work is available at dianalevine.com and you can follow her on Instagram at @dianalevine.

Behind The Scenes Photos | Sofi Madison x Diana Levine Photo Shoot

Behind-the-scenes photos by Mark Gilday Jr