To celebrate Bastille Day, the national holiday of France, Willow Antiques and Interiors of Clifton held its own version on July 15.
Wine, cheese, sunflowers, and handmade French flags greeted passersby strolling through Clifton. Customers sat around tables with French tablecloths and decorated with miniature Eiffel Tower centerpieces.
Customers were treated to butter-cookies and paté brought over from France. Linens from Provence, France, lay over tables and hung in dressers. Store owner Teresa Fannon arranged the furniture and antiques to give the store the European look.
"We did it to keep things lively during the summer months," said Fannon. "The summer is usually slower in Clifton, with more people on vacation."
The store usually showcases a different artist every eight weeks or so. In the past six months, this has included artists J. Collins Keys and Phoebe Peterson. The art hangs on the store walls for several weeks, ending with a celebration of wine, cheese, and selling the artwork. "We have no artists during the summer, so instead we held a similar event to celebrate Bastille Day," said Fannon.
Willow Antiques also sells linens sent directly from Provence, the southeast region of France that borders Northern Italy. With bright colors and intricate designs, the linens further assist the store’s authentic European feel.
The celebration was the last hurrah for the store, as it will be closed down for the remainder of the summer, reopening after Labor Day.