Buyers Still Formulating Plans

By Andra Moss and Avice Meehan

The historic Royal Arcanum building that has anchored Norfolk’s downtown area for more than a century will change hands for the second time since 2021 and be acquired by American Folk & Heritage LLC from the current owner, The Norfolk Hub (TNH).

The agreement is still being formulated. The early announcement was made by Michael Selleck, TNH co-president, in response to what one observer described the “comedy of rumors” that can only take hold in a small community. For some—specifically Heidi Forler who runs the Norfolk Pub—the rumors have been overwhelming and a source of anxiety.

American Folk & Heritage was founded by well-known New York fashion designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla, her husband Aaron Aujla and his brother, Dev Aujla. It is focused on preserving American craft and handwork, hallmarks of the Bode fashion brand, and has served as the umbrella for collaborations with The Metropolitan Museum in New York and Shaker Museum in Chatham, N.Y., as well as the American Folk Art Museum.

No closing date has been set. Aujla said it will be some months before American Folk & Heritage is able to share more detailed plans for the Arcanum. He expressed a commitment to Norfolk’s downtown and its vitality. “From my end, this is very exciting,” Aujla said.

The three entrepreneurs have set down roots in Norfolk where both families own homes. Emily and Aaron Aujla also own a small commercial building on Greenwoods Road East, which was once home to a florist shop.

“We are really interested in history. That is what drives us,” said Aaron Aujla, who runs a design firm called the Green River Project. Aujla noted that he and Bode had looked at the Royal Arcanum and toured it even before they bought a home in town. 

First Selectman Matt Riiska said he met recently with the two brothers. “They did not elaborate on all their plans but they like living in Norfolk, and they can run their businesses from anywhere,” he said. “I think it is good. They understand the importance of history and the historic value of that building.”

The Royal Arcanum was not actually for sale when Emily and Aaron met with Selleck in December 2024. With one small child and another on the way, they were looking for a studio space to rent in the Arcanum. But one thing led to another, and they decided to buy the building that had captured their imagination years before.

The Norfolk Hub currently has commercial tenants in the Royal Arcanum including the Norfolk Pub and Ruthann Olsson Interior Arts and Design. Both leases were recently signed and will be honored. A third commercial tenant could not be reached. When asked about the future of the Pub, Forler said Selleck told her about the pending sale two weeks ago and that she had been taken by surprise. “I have nothing to say,” Forler said.

TNH also has a master lease with the Foundation for Norfolk Living (FNL), a non-profit affordable housing organization, which is responsible for renting the apartments on the second floor. Occupants of the apartments have been notified of the pending sale and FNL is providing some compensation to them to ease their transition.

Formerly known as The Norfolk Foundation, TNH bought the Royal Arcanum in 2021 for $950,000 from local businessman Robert Pallone, whose family had owned it since 1951. The purchase was made possible by a gifr from the William and Mary Greve Foundation of New York under its president, Tony Kiser.

Selleck did not disclose the purchase price, but noted, “The sale is good news as it will provide much needed new cash for other capital projects in town.” In addition, a portion of the proceeds will be allocated to the Foundation for Norfolk Living to further support development of affordable housing.

“FNL is incredibly sensitive to the loss of any housing, especially potential affordable housing units. But it sounds like it is going to be a very positive use of these vibrant, historical spaces,” said Kate Briggs Johnson, president of the FNL board. 

Speaking on behalf of the FNL board, Johnson expressed gratitude for the support it would receive from the sale. FNL has been working toward renovation of the five apartments in the Arcanum building and had received a $500,000 Housing Tax Credit Contribution to help pay for the work. Those funds will be returned once the sale occurs.

Bode (www.bode.com) began as a high-end menswear brand nearly a decade ago that was built around one-of-a-kind garments made from antique or vintage textiles. It has since expanded to encompass ready-to-wear for men, women and children, as well as home goods, with locations in New York, Los Angeles and Paris. Bode Aujla has won major awards for her work, including menswear designer of the year from the Council of Fashion Designers of American (CFDA) in 2022.

Aaron Aujla and business partner Ben Bloomstein run the Green River Project, a design firm that focuses on interiors and furniture. It started in Hillsdale at Bloomstein’s family farm and has grown from there. Dev Aujla is business advisor and writer, whose published books include “50 Ways to Find a Job.”

The Royal Arcanum was originally home to the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department and members of the Royal Arcanum, a society whose membership provided each other with financial and other forms of support. The society commissioned Alfredo S.G. Taylor to design the building and construction commenced in 1904. Taylor used decorative terra-cotta panels above the entrance, where the name Royal Arcanum can be seen in white and buff lettering on a blue background. The initials V.M.C. are located on either side of the entrance door and stand for Virtue, Mercy and Charity, the principles on which the Royal Arcanum was based.