Jul 19, 2011

‘West End Girls’ gift shop conveys casual eleganceBy Larry R. FioriNapaValleyRegister.com

If you were a fan of British pop music in the late 1980s, you might remember the smash hit “West End Girls” by the Pet Shop Boys. Considered contemporary, the lyrics focused on class with a socially conscious streak.

What has this song to do with the new West End Napa home and gift store on First Street?

Enter the “girls”: Kathleen Pfaff and Elizabeth Cameron, dynamic partners committed to the accelerated growth of the so-called west end area of Napa.

“After considerable research, we decided to open our store in Napa because we were convinced it was a special place with a unique mix of tourism and local demand,” Cameron said. West End Napa opened its doors to customers on July 3. And, according to Pfaff, “Business has been brisk.”

Other convinced retailers include Oenotri Restaurant, Napa Valley Toffee Co. and Napa Valley Kitchen Gallery. There has even been talk of converting First Street from a one-way venue to a two-way traffic flow at some point.

Entering the rock-faced store at 1460 First St. — next door to the Avia Hotel — one is greeted by an artistic display of gift and furniture items contained within the store’s Venetian white plaster walls and ceiling.

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