Keith Lacey – Local Journalism Initiative/Penticton Herald – 10 August 2024 / 3:00 p.m. | History: 500900
Photo: Keith Lacey/Local Journalism Initiative
Trevor Guerard and Agnes Stayanovich are expanding their partnership with a new home decor store in downtown Penticton.
The coolest street in downtown Penticton is about to get a little more funky.
The city’s oldest furniture store, Guerard’s Furniture, is teaming up with longtime store employee and noted designer Agnes Stayanovich to open a vibrant new retail outlet on Front Street.
Tangent, Home Décor and Furniture, officially opened Thursday at 25 Front Street. Guerard’s is just around the corner on Backstreets Boulevard.
Stayanovich is a long-time designer at Guerard’s and has also owned and operated Lanyon Homes and Agnes Stayanovich Design on Front Street for many years.
She was the first in-house designer hired at Guerard’s nearly 30 years ago.
Guerard’s manager and co-owner Trevor Guerard and Stayanovich couldn’t be more excited.
“We liked the name Tangent, which we found somewhat whimsical and allegorical,” said Guerard, who has been in the furniture business his entire adult life. “This is our opportunity to be more passionate about the design and artistic aspect of the functional, quality goods we will sell in the store.”
“The timing with Agnes was just perfect. She felt her design business was in jeopardy with construction going on next door and an upcoming lease renewal. So we thought it would be a really opportune time to come together and bring some of what we do here at Guerard’s into a new project and bring what she’s been doing well for decades into this partnership and collaboration.”
Tangent will sell furniture, but the focus will be on decorative home items, gift items, barware, lighting, rugs and other home decor materials.
“The idea is to make Tangent an extension of our store here at Guerard’s and also an extension of Angela’s business at Lanyon Homes,” he said.
When Stayanovich opened her design business, she continued to work part-time at Guerard’s and has long maintained a friendship with the Guerard family, she said.
“My relationship with the Guerard family goes back a long way,” she said. “I worked in design here locally. It was always my favorite place.”
When she founded Agnes Stayanovich Interior Design over 20 years ago, her office was on the top floor of the Guerard warehouse.
When space became available on the ground floor of the same building, she opened her own small interior design firm called Lanyon Home.
Lanyon Home moved to Ellis Street several years ago. She was recently informed that she would have to move and didn’t have much time to do so, she said.
“We had to get out pretty quickly, so we found a place next to Guerard’s warehouse. That happened and now we are where we are today.”
Tangent is located next to Carl’s Flowers and across from Dragon’s Den Art Supply.
“We are fortunate to be moving into what is pretty much a landmark on Front Street,” she said.
The last few months have been hectic as she has worked long hours to close her old business and open Tangent to the public, Stayanovich said.
“The adrenaline rush is very high,” she said. “It’s very exciting to be working with Trevor. He has some great ideas for this store. He’s very innovative and I think it’s going to be a great collaboration.”
Tangent will have a retail space of almost 185 square meters and as an interior designer she promises to give the store a unique and vibrant look, she said.
“I’m bringing everything I brought with me in terms of luxury and beauty from Lanyon Home,” she said. “There will be beautiful organic rugs, almost everything we sell is made of natural fibers. We’re putting a lot of emphasis on natural products, including candles, soaps, linens, towels and Kasimir blankets. Things like that are coming from my old shop.”
Guerard said he looks forward to continuing to work with Stayanovich.
“I’ve always respected Agnes for her uncompromising commitment to quality and customer service to her customers,” he said. “We, of course, as designers, have interacted with her a lot and helped her realize her vision to her customers. I think our morals really align when it comes to the items we sell, where they come from and where we place them in the store.”
She and Guerard will work as a team to decide which items will be on display and offered for sale, Stayanovich said.
“I will be running the day-to-day operations of the store, but Trevor and I are equals and have collaborated on absolutely everything we bring into the store,” she said. “It should be a wonderful working relationship.”
Guerard agreed.
“We hope to become a valuable addition to the downtown retail landscape,” he said. “We offer another beautiful, high-quality store with unique merchandise.”
This originally appeared in the Penticton Herald and is shared through the Local Journalism Initiative.
