Hi there! My name is Stacy Hoover and I’m your Hostess-with-the-Mostest here at Wonderland.

I have built my life around spreading whimsy, finding joy, and seeking meaningful connections. I was born in 1967 in the Amish country of Ohio, and attended the School of the Art Institute in Chicago to pursue my natural love of all things creative. In 1988, I moved to New Orleans with just $400 and a trailer full of antique furniture following a dream of misty streets and iron hitching posts topped with horse heads. Much to my delight, I later discovered that exact spot outside The Hotel Provincial. I worked my way from being a cocktail waitress at Port Orleans to a local business owner - I ran a small shop on Royal Street in the French Quarter called Hoover Watches and Jewels.
I was always enamored with the sparkle emitted by the objects in my case - a large gold and diamond armband from the 1920s, an enamel bluebird of happiness cigar band ring circa 1910, and a turn of the century English squash blossom necklace made of rubies, sapphires, and cats teeth - but also by the people who came into my shop.

I closed Hoover Watches and Jewels in 2008 when my dear friend and mentor, Stewart Unger, asked me to carry on his legacy—a watch company named TimeWillTell—upon his departure from this world. TimeWillTell continues to draw inspiration from vintage wares for the seasonal colors of our elegant yet playful classic watches. Under my care, the TimeWillTell watch brand has gained international recognition.

I purchased 3405 Royal in 2012 and immediately felt a deep connection to the house and its history (for more on that story, take a gander at “The House” page). Most days, the front door of Wonderland is left open for passersby to freely peek their heads in—and get whisked away on a tour of my home—as it was, as it is, and as it will be—by yours truly. If you blur your eyes a bit and make a wish when you enter the house, you'll feel like you've just entered a bygone era with a beautifully slanted view of reality.

The house has become my greatest collaborator to date. I adore creative space-making and human connection, and Wonderland fosters that energy like a dream. In 2021, I plan to build The Wonderland Historical Society on-site as a creative hub dedicated to nurturing a living tribute to the Bywater’s past while making space for artistic exploration into its future.

To check out some of the amazing collaborations that have taken place in Wonderland so far,
head on over to the ART page!

Thank you so much for coming! 
Stacy