Consignment gallery celebrates grand opening in Matlacha
Combining gently used furniture with local art, the newest addition to Matlacha recently opened its doors to the public. Harborside Gallery is a whimsical blend of old and new giving both a fresh look that seems to appeal to those browsing the shops in Matlacha.
“We have only been open a short time and already have done very well,” said owner and proprietor Donna Loibl. “We try to keep everything as fresh and interesting as possible and the quick turn over of many of our items has helped to make that possible. I have heard people already remark that you never know what you are going to see when you come in.”
Located in the Matlacha Post Office complex, all of the items in the store are on consignment and range from wall art to wearable art. Among the items on display are images from award-winning local photographer, Carol Hoyem, oil paintings from Louie Hamelinck whose images depict wildlife, landscapes, ocean views and more. Joining Hamelinck is his wife Colleen who has a display of crocheted baby blankets. Other displays include embroidered adult and baby T-shirts and dish towels by Pam Kemble jewelry, paintings and fishing flies by Saratt Chido along side displays of fine China, dishes, glassware and decorative pieces. The most notable feature of the shop however is the furniture.
“Kathy Harmon does a great job bringing in furniture. She is very picky and never puts anything on the floor unless it’s in perfect condition,” said Loibl. “She also is very creative when it comes to displaying each piece as well. I am always surprised when I come in after she has been here because she keeps arranging things so that it has a new look.”
According to Loibl, all of the furniture consigned has been re-finished, painted and or re-upholstered by Harmon.
A 14-year-resident of Matlacha, Loibl and her husband, Joe, are the previous owners of the dollar store once located in the Publix shopping center in Cape Coral. No stranger to retail, both Donna and Joe feel as though they know what it takes to make the new business a success.
“Since we already owned the building, we just decided we had the space to try something new. We both enjoy working with people because we always have,” Loibl said. “As for doing a consignment shop, I thought it would work well in this area and keep with the ambiance of the other shops here in Matlacha. We understand the island culture and what people want and our mottos is ‘something old, something new, some things consigned and something for you.’ We were not about to let the fire slow us down and we plan to be here a very long time.”
As the business expands, Loibl will be offering customers all occasion and seasonal gift bags as well as other gift items.
With 1,350 square feet of floor space, she also said that there is still room available for others who are interested in obtaining display space for consignment items.
Harborside Gallery, located at 4547 Pine Island Road in Matlacha is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and extended hours on Art Night the second Friday of each month through the winter season. For more information, call the gallery at 283-0624.