Phelan’s creates home for the holidays

This time of year tends to encourage homeowners to think about the coziness of their home and the decor that fills it, not only for the holidays but for the cold weather months.

'This is always a fun time of year for shopping as people are not only prepping for the holidays, but they are also prepping for a time of year when we are hibernating a little, spending more time at home,” said Alex Von Ashen, residential interior designer at Phelan's in Cedar Rapids.

'Shoppers want to prep their homes and be ready to be indoors a bit more, and it's fun to help people get into that phase.”

Von Ashen added that, 'We are not a one-look shop. We have something for everybody. And we really try hard to have a mixture of price points on items when you are looking for something that is a gift - from a small accessory to a piece of furniture - we have things in all price ranges.”

He noted that the store also offers gift cards.

Inventory is selected by in-house designers, Von Ashen said, chosen after listening to clients and following the trends. Small accessories, such as vase, figurines, artwork and lamps, are particularly popular during the holiday shopping season.

'There are just a lot of options for gifts that are outside the bubble of classic gifts. At Phelan's we strive to give customers the opportunity to find something that is more artisan, designer and unique. These items are more one-of-a-kind as a lot of our brands don't mass produce items.”

If you happen to be in the market for new furniture, Von Ashen noted that, 'Right now we are doing a lot of big discounts for our in-store inventory.” he said.

'There are so many mark downs in the showroom, so shopper are able to get instant gratification. We want everyone to feel like they can find something in the store.”

*This business is featured in the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance's Buy Here, Give Here, Grow Here initiative. Local consumers have the power to drive economic growth by supporting local businesses and non-profits. Each dollar spent locally returns an average of three times more to our community than buying elsewhere. Learn more about locally owned businesses, non-profits and business building resources that drive our economy at https://www.cedarrapids.org/business-resources/buy-give-grow.