Magnolia Shop Tour

Step into Magnolia, and it's like walking into the house of a good friend. A good friend with impeccable taste, that is.

Click on any image for a larger view.

Meet proprietor Jeff Avery, who deploys his southern charm and laid-back demeanor to make every customer feel right at home in this former general store in the heart of Tampa's Old Hyde Park.

It was the availability of this building that spurred Jeff's decision to start a business 7 years ago. He had been advised by his step-father early on that, if he ever opened his own store, he must own the building too, in order to control his destiny.

An extensive background in retail began in mens' haberdashery in that step-father's shop in Baton Rouge. Jeff has fond memories of the sense of community experienced there, and credits his upbringing in the culture-rich environment of Louisiana for developing his aesthetic.

Jeff's personal design mantra: neutrals, accented with colorful accessories. We love that rich yellow of the ceramic garden seats next to the dark patina of the 1880 Gansu table.

One-of-a-kind antiques are sprinkled throughout the shop, amongst new merchandise.

Jeff looks over an order with Leigh Joyner, a great friend and neighbor who was the first person he turned to for help in the store. Jeff credits his wonderful staff as being an integral part of the success of Magnolia. The counter is a Brazilian antique, purchased from Roberta Schilling's showroom in Miami.

New and old happily coexist. Jeff feels that interiors should include antiques for depth and warmth.

A section of the store is dedicated to unique gifts and furnishings for children.

Charming European books that have been translated into English are a highlight, along with whimsical stuffed animals.

Oly, Mitchell Gold +Bob Williams, and Jonathan Adler are just a few of the lines available at Magnolia.

For those of you who dream of opening your own store, Jeff has some great advice:

-Do your homework, certainly, but if you think you have what it takes, don't overthink it. He compares the decision to that of having a baby - if you wait until everything is perfect, it will never happen, because your situation will never be perfect.

-Give yourself 5 years before even thinking about taking a dime out of the business. And, keep in mind that it will be about 10 years before your business will have value to anyone else.

-Be passionate. Jeff takes several trips each year to New York and other markets, and always spends a day in each city shopping retail stores for inspiration, ideas and trends. He invests his personal style in Magnolia, buying only what he loves, to create a shopping environment he hopes others will respond to. So far, that's been a winning strategy.

What the future holds for Magnolia: Jeff hopes to add on to his building in a couple of years, and double the retail space. Since he owns the property, that's an option he wouldn't otherwise have.

And, great news for those who can't get to Tampa to browse the goods - Magnolia's online shop is now open! So take a look, and check back often, as new merchandise is being added daily.

You can see more about Jeff in the May issue of Coastal Living, now on newstands.

All photos by Topsy Turvy.

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Fri., May 9 would be a great time to visit Magnolia if you're in the neighborhood. From 5-9pm the store will be open for a tent sale, with refreshments served on the patio (shown above), and give-aways and great discounts available on merchandise. Find out more here about the South Tampa Shop-Along which includes 4 other area stores. In case you can't make it Fri. night, sales in many stores will continue thru Saturday.
See you there!

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