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st BUSINESS HOME DECOR STORE IN SEARCH OF NEW OWNER nicle | Thursday, March 9, 2023 | : & 24-YEAR HISTORY IN TRI-CITIES $ BILL JACKSON g bjackson@torstar.ca Her year-round business is Not Just for the Garden, but Eleanor Laporte has been a harbinger of: spring for many of her cus- tomers since opening an outdoor art store in the ae of Blair in 19! The oming season, however, will mark the: ond of the road for Laporte at her Weber Street North location in Waterloo. "It's time to do the golden years thing," Laporte, 65, said recently. As the owner of a successful home de- cor business that's taken up shop across Waterloo Region over the past 24 years in locations including Belmont Village and the Bauer Lofts, Laporte would like to see her legacy live on under a different owner. She has no children to pass it on to. “This is my baby and I'd like to see it nurtured and someone enjoy it for many more years," said Laporte, who fondly re- flects on close-knit bonds with customers and creme A front page from the Waterloo Region Record with a photo of her hangs on dis- play along with a print plate for a business pullout in the former Cambridge Reporter. "We started out at a time when you did an article in the newspaper," she said. “Google wasn't a household word. People weren't even doing websites when we first si . The COVID-19 pandemic forced Laporte to educate herself digitally and she hired somebody to create a website, though not all inventory appears online and people stil need to visit in-person to see what's in- “Laporte believes her business provides. something unique to Waterloo Region with rare, often one-of-a-kind decor and art for inside and outside the home Her split-level location i in n Waterloo is well known for many ofits niche products, including solar garden stakes, custom bo: tanical arrangements and metal art such (e Smoothie bar Cafe = Fueled by § Fy 2 2 [4 £ i 5 BOTANICA 25 Bruce s itchener, ON Flevate your Energy! Flevate YOUR Smoothie! Perfect Protein Elevated, Energy Booster is filled with: 20g of Organic Plant Protein blended with a FULL SERVING Of 3 energy boosting supplements 00mg Panax ginseng 500mg Cordyceps 400mg Vitamin B complex 438 Highland Rd. W. 420 pete Rd. Bill Jackson/ Metroland Eleanor Laporte is surrounded by some of her interior decor items inside her Waterloo business Not Just for the Garde! the pine cone sculptures, which Laporte brags she sells more of than the artist him- elf. g Upstairs, there are accents and accesso- ries for the garden, and casual items and materials suitable for the cottage, Laporte athe lower, main level contains all sorts final mile Metroland Parcel Services has a simple goal service for final-mile di bution across Onta of furniture, lamps and area rugs, accesso- ries for the room, artwork for the wall, vases, candles, mirrors, and glasses. (for reading or sipping) as well as other gift lines for cocktails and pets. The business has been run by Laporte See - page 15 provide cost-effective, premium Indeed, with over 15,000 drivers and 14 depots, our network is always ready for next-day delivery even with increased volumes. Join some of Canada’s largest companies who rely on us for their ecommerce delivery. Get a quote today: metrolandparcelservices.ca SCAN FOR MORE PARCEL SERVICES INFORMATION