MAKER SPACE: TABLE TOPPERS

With an unassuming storefront tucked away just off Falls Road in Bare Hills, you’d never guess that behind the door at Table Toppers thousands of linen options sit ready to be rented. Customers, by appointment, sift through the range of options to find the perfect complement to their event. But the real magic starts when they see how all the linens would work together on a banquet table set up in the shop—that’s when owner Patti Boyle and Terry Willner, the shop’s second in command, start bringing the vision to life.

Boyle’s business started as a side hustle, eventually turned full-time job. She was a banker in the finance industry and had a colleague that rented linens on the side. Boyle started sub-renting linens from her and called it Table Toppers, initially working out of her garage before acquiring a warehouse space in 2003.

“It was a lot of hustle, a lot of like; find customers, go meet the party planners,” Boyle said. “And quite honestly there was a need for it. People were ready for it. People were ready for something a little different. It wasn’t just your average linens.” Couples were ready for options beyond white tablecloths and black napkins.

Five years later Boyle bought the space next to her shop, doubling her linen storage to about 3,00-square-feet. Currently the linen racks reach the warehouse’s ceiling. “You can no longer expand out, you have to expand up,” Boyle says.

Willner joined in 2008, and with a past in wedding planning she was happy to be able to focus on one aspect of the big day. “We do everything from a dining room table with 10 napkins to galas for 1,000 people,” says Willner. “So, we could do anything in between.” Boyle often delivers the linens to whoever needs them—the caterer or planner—but they can set them up as well.

But first they have to decide and pick which linens out of the thousands of options. Oftentimes the client will bring a color theme or Pinterest board as inspiration, or even their florist, caterer, and wedding planners for input.

Having a coastal themed wedding on the beach? Choose from the vast selection of shades of blue, add a lattice looking pattern in white, and grab the blue rimmed napkins on the way out. Want posh, dramatic romance? Mix deep red solids with gold embellished accents to make a stunning sweethearts table. Going for florals in the heart of spring? Choose the lively spirals of pink patterned pieces or a bold, colorful flower print to bring out the fun. Want some texture? There are sequins, bedazzled fringe, and lace. Only half of the linens are traditional tablecloth material, the rest comes from fabric meant to be made into clothes, netting, even upholstery.

The inventory stacks high after years of cultivation. Some standouts include pieces with printed artwork by local painters, plaid tablecloths made to match a family tartan, and sparkly tulle with a glossy touch. And even the most custom pieces all get laundered before going back into the rotation.

And since the linen is just one piece of the wedding, they love when clients share photographs from their wedding, and they can see how everything came together.

“We’re very specialized, but because of that everyone’s party is our party,” Boyle says.

The two ladies take pride in their work and that they can excel on any budget. Since they only have to worry about the soft table pieces—tablecloths, napkins, and table skirts—they can focus on making their part just right. And, just maybe, make picking out linens stress free.

Willner says, “You can’t cry over a tablecloth.”