With coronavirus restrictions relaxing a little for restaurants and retail stores, I find myself cautiously venturing out more. Among my recent first stops for some long overdue gifts was Upstairs at Pierre Lafond, always one of my favorites.
Since 1981, the store in Montecito’s Upper Village has been a familiar and well-loved oasis filled with beautiful lifestyle choices. The challenges of the last few years have taken a toll, however, as they have almost everywhere.
The multistore complex on the northeast corner of the intersection of East Valley and San Ysidro roads includes a popular deli, coffee shop, bakery and market; an upscale Wendy Foster women’s clothing boutique and a women’s sportswear store; and a full-service bistro and bar.
What began as the original concept store by Pierre Lafond in 1959 and then with his wife, Wendy Foster, it all looks so effortless. But for the last 27 years, the real magic at Upstairs at Pierre La Fond had been provided by buyer Shelley Koury until her recent retirement.
Starting off working on the floor as a sales associate, Koury graduated to sitting behind the computer screens in her back office, juggling sources, coordinating and hiring affable staff, and often traveling to markets around the globe. Her talent and taste are everywhere.
Complementing Koury’s work have been the store’s beautifully curated displays arranged by Catherine Greenup, who started as a merchandiser in 2002. Her delightfully whimsical displays give you a sense of what the merchandise might look like in your own home.
As a customer for more than three decades, Upstairs at Pierre Lafond keeps me in the know for 93108 style, and I never leave empty handed. Meandering from room to room, I find my blood pressure melting away, which is just what I’ve needed this past year.
“I have always had a great deal of admiration for Shelley, as she really does care about the products that she sought out for Upstairs,” Greenup told Noozhawk. “She always wanted to find the unique and bring items together for Upstairs with a unique eye for color and design.”
So who could possibly take Koury’s place? Being two steps ahead, the choice was one of the store’s own talented associates, Emily Dafoe.
Having started as Upstairs manager in 2007 before moving downstairs to the Wendy Foster dress shop and sportswear shop in 2012, Dafoe has also been managing the empire’s social media, which have been a lifeline throughout the pandemic. It’s not all work for her, though, as she took time off for several years to have a beautiful baby boy with her husband, vintner Rob Dafoe, and to work on her line of leather handbags.
“Shelley has the most incredible eye and has so much talent finding beautiful products,” Dafoe told me during our masked meeting on the outdoor patio. “Having worked with her for the past 15 years, I feel very lucky to have had the best teacher in the business.
“To say I have big shoes to fill is an understatement. Thankfully, I have a wonderful team and a tremendous amount of support. While there might not be too many big changes right off the bat, I’ll slowly mix things up.”
Koury said Dafoe will bring her personal style and talent as part of the next generation, but I’m assured that Upstairs at Pierre Lafond will continue to provide the quality and variety of beautiful merchandise to which we’ve been accustomed.
Supporting our local retailers has never been more important, and Upstairs at Pierre Lafond has been the embodiment of a valuable and enjoyable resource for our community.
Upstairs at Pierre Lafond is open daily at 516 San Ysidro Road. Click here for more information.
— Judy Foreman is a Noozhawk columnist and longtime local writer and lifestyles observer. She can be contacted at news@noozhawk.com. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.