Dilly's Curiosity Shop

Since 1986, Dilly's Curiosity Shop has been a destination for freethinkers in the Tri-Cities and beyond. Dillard Harrison and Sally Anne Clark opened their first business together, a hair salon in downtown Norton, Virginia in 1961. Dressed in offbeat, coordinated outfits and sporting mod hairstyles, the couple garnered much attention. Clients would visit their salon from surrounding areas to recei

ve a stylish “Dil Lan” original cut and color. In 1970, Dillard and Sally relocated their family of four including daughter Dagney Krishna and son David Simon to Kingsport, Tennessee. They opened Dil Lan's Hair Designs, later changed to Dillard Clark Hairdressing, and quickly gained a reputation for their skill and personalized attention to every client. In 1983 Dillard and Sally began designing and creating custom "It's a Dilly" knitwear. Their handcrafted clothing appeared in fashion shows at area venues and was featured in the Kingsport Times News. In 1986 Dilly’s moved to the now defunct Kingsport Mall on Eastman Road. With a small salon on site, Dilly’s carried their custom knitwear, with the addition of jewelry, crystals, home decor, and obscure books aligning with their lifelong interests in world religion, art, music, and philosophy. When the Kingsport Mall shuttered its doors in 1990, Dilly’s moved briefly to Center Street in downtown Kingsport, then to 3009 John B. Dennis Highway where the Shop remained for the next fourteen years. This location was home to the infamous 16 foot Dilly’s Logo Satellite dish, a public meditation temple, drum circles, poetry slams, and even a DillyPalooza music festival. In August of 2004, Dillard transitioned into spirit, a little over a year after the unexpected death of their son. Sally passed ownership of the business to daughter Dagney, her husband Todd, and their daughter Violet. After their move from Knoxville to Kingsport, the new owners relocated Dilly’s to the Green Acres Shopping Center in 2007. Dagney Krishna completed a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology from The University of Tennessee and served as an art gallery attendant while in college. After graduation she held a succession of creative and managerial positions with private businesses and national retailers in the Knoxville area. Dagney performed for several years as a bassoonist with the Kingsport Symphony Orchestra. Todd majored in Archaeology and minored in Geology at the University of Alabama. His love of botanicals led to owning a landscaping business that provided services to both private and commercial clients in Knoxville. These passions for the natural world have been instrumental in the expansion of Dilly's stone, fossil, and artifact collections. Todd is an avid astronomer and a former chairperson of the Bays Mountain Astronomy Club. Violet Avni has grown up in the family business and graduated High School early as an Independent Homeschooler. She is a professional artist and online business entrepreneur with a keen eye for style. Violet contributes invaluable creative insight and perspective to daily operations at the shop. Today at DIlly's Curiosity Shop you will find diverse and evolving collections of art, artifacts, books, crystals, incense, jewelry, oils, and metaphysical supplies. Dillard and Sally's ideals of creativity, individuality, and inclusion are alive and well, and Dagney, Todd, and Violet look forward to serving the community for many years to come!