The Green Pea Boutique

Antiques, Collectibles, Fashion, Home Decor & One-Of-A-Kind Items

One of the things i want to do with this blog is highlight design related businesses in and around N. California. My first one is Sandi Vander Dussen's Green Pea Boutique in Escalon, CA. Escalon is a small farming community that people pass through on their way to the mountains and Sandi has definately upped Main Streets cute factor.

Her shop was originally built in 1906 and was a mercantile and post office with the livery in the back. She and her husband Jim spent 18 months and many long hours transforming it into a charming place with exposed brick walls and the original wood floors for selling antiques, fashion and home and garden decor. Sandi had previously been leasing a smaller shop a block off Main St. but when the opportunity came available to own this historic building she said "where do I sign?"

I want this chair...it has such possibilities!

Sandi had seen the green paint color of her building somewhere else and fell in love with it. She and her daughter were brainstorming names for the new store, leaning toward something french. Her daughter hit on "The Green Pea" but it didn't translate as well in french so the "Green Pea Boutique" was born.

That same daughter lives in Texas and Sandi makes several buying trips there a year, as well as Las Vegas for the gift items she offers. Her future vision for the store is to bring in more kitchen accessories and garden products and decor. Her style is a little cottage, a little rustic and she loves things with character and blemishes that show that someone has loved them and used them. Being in a small town adds quaintness to the experience. Her customers make it an excursion to come shop and have lunch at local restaurants and on the weekends, the clientele switches to couples out for a treasure hunt!

Too bad...these are already 'sold'


She also carries great baby items!

I think it's important that we support local businesses and especially businesses run by women, although Sandi gets lots of support from Jim. (I want to take pictures of these amazing doors he built for the Livery in back). Sandi's advice for other women business owners is to "buy what you like". She sometimes has a hard time parting with items she loves, but its even less fun to look at things that don't sell, that you don't like.

Thank you Sandi for your time and sharing your lovely store.

The Green Pea

Escalon, CA

(209)838-1913

thegreenpeaboutique.blogspot.com