Every year Squire Chase in McLean celebrates the Easter season with an impressive front window display that attracts children and adults alike. This year, amid an explosion of pastel colors and springtime flowers, the Easter Bunny has taken the year off and can be seen relaxing in a hammock while phoning in advice to his replacement Jack Rabbit.
“Easter kind of plays into our hand,” said Squire Chase manager Fran Ryan. Squire Chase is known for its Herend porcelain, which features rabbits in a variety of poses and patterns. Herend produces porcelain figurines of numerous types of animals, as well as dinnerware.
The inspiration for the window display came when Ryan got together with artist Katie Touart, who dresses the windows several times a year, to discuss this year's adventure for the Easter Bunny. “We get together and discuss what products are in, go over them and come up with ideas. We were talking about it and just figured, hey, all workers deserve a break or a vacation,” said Ryan.
Children are known to stop in their tracks when they see the window display, which brings a touch of whimsy to Salona Village, where the store is located. They are often enticed into the store, holding a parent’s or grandparent’s hand, to see what other treasures Squire Chase has.
The Herend bunnies inside have the run of the store and seem to multiply as effortlessly as real rabbits do. “We like to let the bunnies hop around. They are fun, and they really don’t belong in serious display cases,” Ryan said.
Ryan says the children are often afraid to touch the bunnies inside the store lest they break one, but the staff encourages them to hold and touch the porcelain figures. “We always try to have some bunnies and to put them low on the ledge for kids to see,” said Ryan. “We are better than a museum because we let you touch.”
While the rabbit figurines are a draw for children, store owner Kimberley Kimball says Ryan is the draw for adults. “She knows everybody who walks in. She knows their kids, and she knows their grandchildren. It’s not the bunnies — it’s Fran,” said Kimball.
The current owners took over Squire Chase seven years ago and credit Ryan with charming their clientele with her friendly demeanor and her clear love of Herend porcelain.
HER ADMIRATION FOR the characters created at Herend began with her first job out of college working for Bailey, Banks and Biddle in Philadelphia. Ryan said that among all the beautiful and glittering jewels, it was the whimsical Herend porcelain display that captured her attention.
Over the years her interest and knowledge about the company grew, as did her personal collection. Kimball credits her with helping Squire Chase earn the honor of Preferred Retailer for Herend as well as being a consistent top performer for the porcelain company.
“We have whole families that are now collectors. It’s not just the moms. We will have kids coming in with their mom to pick one out for Father's Day, to add to the family collection,” said Ryan.
Kimball says that despite the delicate porcelain displayed, they are “a no-hassle place” and try to match the needs and wants of multiple generations with a variety of offerings.
To that end, Squire Chase has a year-round display of Christopher Radko ornaments, pet lovers’ merchandise, and a lively display of juvenile decorations.