May 28, 2008

Johnston’s moves to new home, organicBy Kelley AthertonTriplicate.com

“At this point, we’re just putting it all back together,” said Sheri Johnston.

She will be reopening Johnston’s Home Furnishings and Gift Shop on June 2 in its new home on 3rd Street from its previous location on Standard Veneer Road.

Sheri and her husband, Michael, own Johnston’s Cabinetry and Home Furnishings and Gifts. After almost eight years of business, they decided it was time to move Sheri’s portion of the venture downtown.

“There’s a real push for downtown to grow,” Michael said about a local desire to fill empty storefronts.

A place to “park, walk and shop,” Sheri added. The couple has watched downtown businesses take off, such as Diana and Sacha Tomasini’s projects. They wanted to be there at the ground floor of a downtown resurgence.

Sheri realized she needed more space in order to grow her business. The new shop, next to Tomasini’s Enoteca, will have 2,300 square feet—compared to 900 in the old one—with new merchandise lines to boot.

There’ll be more furniture, lamps, pottery, wall decor and clocks, greeting cards, gourmet coffee and food, candles, bath products, linens, jewelry, holiday items and an expanded baby section.

The selection also includes some local and organic products and speciality lines from Michael’s sisters, including Terri Tell’s jewelry and Lena Hurd’s ornaments.

“Everything will be bigger and better,” Sheri said.

It was getting a little cramped at her previous location—especially with holiday gifts.

“It was getting so tight,” she said. “I wanted to have more elbow room around the displays.”

Johnston’s Cabinetry will stay at its current location on Standard Veneer Road. Now that the gift shop has moved, the cabinetry showroom will be able to expand.

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