HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2005-06-22, Page 1616
Exeter Times -Advocate
Wednesday,June 22, 2005
70.
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Members of the Little Adventures Preschool held their graduation June 16. Moving up are from left, Benjamin Hoonaard, Morgan Lewis, Nicolle Ford,Allison Gorman,
Charlotte Gregus,Abby Parsons, Stephan Ducharme, Matthew Branderhorst, Rachel Vanderlaan, Jayden Heywood, Cam Beckett, Madison Strang, Michelle Russell,
Kennedy Borland, Peter Frielink, Harrison Bowman and teacher Tracy Hartman. (photo/Jim Beckett)
WillowValley has an eye on design
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — It's been a
good start for home
decor store Willow Valley
Furnishings.
Owner Penny Venton
opened the Main Street
store (in the former
Jervis Photo site) in late
April, starting with a
"Bridal Registry Week"
and a "Just Looking
Week," before officially
opening during the week
of Mother's Day.
"So far so good,"
Venton says of her home
and garden decoration
store. Venton, originally
from Exeter, previously
owned a similar store in
Michigan. Upon returning
to town six years ago, she
said she wanted to open
a business but was wait-
ing for the right location.
Eventually, one became
available.
She said she loves the
location she settled on,
adding it allows her the
possibility to expand in
the future.
Venton is quick to credit
her store manager and
"in-home stylist" Pamela
Reid and Diane Darling,
who does the accounts
and is Willow Valley's
events planner and gift
registry expert.
"I couldn't do it without
them," Venton says.
She opened her busi-
ness with a Bridal
Registry Week to give
upcoming brides the
chance to choose from
the merchandise Willow
Valley offers.
"That was a great
beginning," Venton says.
Venton said she wanted
to establish a home decor
store that
would appeal
to the tastes
of the young
shopper. She
hopes by
developing a
relationship
with young
brides
through her bridal reg-
istry, couples will think of
Willow Valley when it
comes time to design
their homes.
The "Just Looking
Week" Venton offered
was a chance for cus-
WILLOW
VALLEY
FURNISHING
WillowValley Furnishings opened on Exeter's Main Street in April in the former
Jervis Photo building. From left are store events planner Diane Darling, owner
PennyVenton and store manager Pamela Reid. (photo/Scott Nixon)
tomers to browse the
store, see what products
are available and remi-
nisce about the history of
the building, which was a
family home owned by
auctioneer Frank Taylor.
Former residents of the
house returned to visit
and share photos, Venton
said.
"That was very heart-
felt and very wonderful,"
she says.
Venton is hoping Willow
Valley will demonstrate
to shoppers they don't
need to drive to larger
centres for the home dec-
oration needs.
"We're versatile and we
have a lot of options for
customers," she says,
adding that
she's starting
to see shop-
pers from
Grand Bend,
Goderich,
London and
Stratford visit
Willow Valley.
Venton, who
says her expertise is in
restorative design, says
Willow Valley will pro-
vide beauty and atmos-
phere into homes. She
said she's trying to keep
her business unique and
"a little bit fresher,"
"We're versatile and
we have a lot of
options for
customers,"
PENNY VENTON
OWNER
appealing to shoppers of
all ages.
While many home deco-
ration stores in malls tar-
get older shoppers,
Venton says, "The young
shopper is the most criti-
cal shopper."
And so far, she says
she's receiving a good
response from young
shoppers.
Venton's interest in
home design and decora-
tion grew while she was
running a business in
Michigan.
Originally going there to
re -develop a downtown,
she worked with individ-
ual landowners to help
them refurbish their real
estate. Eventually, she
started doing design in
homes.
"It grew very quickly
from there," she says.
Venton describes
Darling as "a very skilled
event planner" who will
spearhead Willow
Valley's bridal registry
and do promotions.
"She's a sounding
board for where our mar-
ket is," Venton says.
And she says store
manager Reid is "one of
the most talented store
merchandise stylists I've
ever seen. She makes the
store look the way it
looks."
Venton took possession
of her building in
February and began with
the renovations inside,
including painting, work-
ing on the hard wood
floors, adding some car-
peting and uncovering
some windows, resulting
in a brighter inside.
And the name Willow
Valley? It comes from
one of Venton's great
grandfathers, a local
merchant who also
owned a farm called
Willow Valley Farms.
Corey Stanford receives an Ontario Heritage
Foundation award from Lucan Biddulph mayor Tom
McLaughlin. Stanford has also been recognized for his
work as aYoung Heritage Leadership candidate with
Lucan Area Heritage. (photo/Stephanie Mandziuk)
Zurich peewees
ZURICH — The Exeter
peewees travelled to
Zurich, June 15 and came
close to defeating the
home team.
In a game dominated by
walks handed out by
pitchers on both teams,
Zurich emerged victorious
14-13.
Starting pitcher Becca
Skinner gave way to Jessie
Geoffrey in the second but
returned to the mound to
close the game in the final
inning.
Singles were hit by
Skinner, Brittany Grenier,
Geoffrey, and Kristena
Hendrick.
A sacrifice bunt in the
third kept Zurich ahead by
one run.
Hendrick belted out a
triple to move Jenna
Beierling and Geoffrey
across the plate for the
tying and winning runs in
the final inning.
Granton
Village -Wide
GARAGE
sale
Saturday
June 25th
8:30am-2pm
• Rain or Shine •
Gaiser Kneale
1 Insurance Brokers
EXETER
Tel: (519) 235-2420
Fax: (519) 235-1025
email: gaiserkneale@cabletv.on.ca