Well loved Better Homes and Gardens star Tara Dennis has opened a homewares store and luckily for me, it’s right on my doorstep in Wahroonga on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. I popped in for a visit last week, to find she’s transformed the former purple and yellow party store into a neutral, textural oasis of new and vintage furniture and homewares.
It’s all happened rather quickly! Tara was actually looking for an office space in the area when husband Martyn stumbled across the vacant shop. That was just before Christmas. Within six weeks, the lease was signed, the space transformed and open for business, and with very little marketing other than word of mouth, it’s had a constant stream of customers ever since. Once you step inside, you’ll soon see why!
It’s not as if mum-of-two Tara, with her TV commitments, corporate work for 3M Command and own homewares range exactly had time on her hands, but now she’s inadvertently given herself a new weekend job as a shop girl! It was never something she yearned to do, but she’s really enjoying it! Tara intends to be in the shop herself, working, every Saturday, and to run different craft workshops in the space out the back too. Stocking the uber popular Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, workshops on how to transform your old furniture with this wonder product will be top of the list!
Custom furniture, such as timber hutches for kitchens, have been the surprise best sellers and Tara loves the fact they can offer something unique to shoppers. Also flying out of the door are vinyl door mats imported from France which look like tiles.
Tara, who owns a house she renovated in the suburb, says everything stocked is something she’d love in her own home.
In today’s eCommerce world, I agree with Tara that shoppers still love a bricks and mortar store with an unusual offering, custom products, great service and in-store events.
It’s not set up like your average store and it’s beautifully styled, changing every few days so you’ll always find something new or be inspired by a new vignette!
Get on down for a visit; you won’t be disappointed! Follow them on Instagram and find info on upcoming classes on their Facebook Page. They’ll soon be selling online too.
The Tara Dennis Store, 33 Redleaf Avenue, Wahroonga, NSW 2076