Spear turns love of home decor into new business with Now & Again Boutique

Date: 3/9/2010

March 8, 2010

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Managing Editor



HAMPDEN -- For years, visitors to Jane (Pagnoni) Spear's East Longmeadow home have told her she has a real knack for decorating.

A flair, as her mother Sandy put it, "for bringing things together and making them look better than they did before."

Finding new ways to use accent pieces, combining tag sale finds with that stunning new purchase, these have always been Spear's passion that and the dream of one day owning her own home decor shop.

On Jan. 11, that dream became a reality as Spear opened the New & Again Boutique -- Home Accents and More at 32 Somers Rd., in the storefront formerly occupied by the "It's All About Me" women's clothing shop.

"The opportunity came up and I jumped on it," Spear told Reminder Publications of her decision to take the plunge and open her own shop. Her mother, Sandy Pagnoni, who was a partner in Earl's Decorating in the 1970s and also worked in her late husband Anthony's cabinetmaking business, is Spear's partner in this new endeavor.

The product displays in her modest shop reflect Spear's keen eye for design and her philosophy of combining old and new and of reusing things in creative ways. An octagonal glass coffeetable becomes a showplace for an artful arrangement of china and linens. A simple white bookcase is the backdrop for photos, knickknacks and candles. Artwork and mirrors accent the shop's walls in a pattern that is both studied and whimsical. Handmade scarves are draped over an antique yarn winder while purses constructed of recycled materials peek from the drawers of an old bureau.

Some of the items are new, some are antique, others are select pieces which Spear has agreed to carry on consignment.

"With today's economy, people are looking to do things on a budget," Spear said of her eclectic eye toward display and merchandising. "They're looking to clean out and refresh their homes."

Spear said she welcomes inquiries from people who are interested in placing items in her store on consignment, but will only accept things which "fit into the style of the store." She said she takes consignment inquiries by appointment only.

By creating new uses for old things, such as employing a wicker bath cabinet as the stage for a consignment jewelry display, Spear said she's also tapping in to the twin trends of recycling and green living.

And so far, customers seem to like her approach.

"Business has been great, it's been by word of mouth," Spear said. "People drive by and curiosity has brought them in."

She said she's planning a formal grand opening of the shop in early April.

Until then, customers can visit the New & Again Boutique Mondays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shop is closed on Wednesdays and Sundays. For more information or consignment inquiries call 566-5330.