Ribbon Cut to Open Design Studio

Okay, we admit it—this photo was actually taken over a month ago, when Design Studio held an official grand opening at 917 Burlington Ave. Pictured in the above image are (from left to right) business owners Paula Buttel and Carol King, along with Village trustees Deborah Lyons, Shelia Hansen, and Jim Horvath. But we only got our hands on it now, and we wanted to share!

Design Studio actually  all the way back in June, but held their official ribbon-cutting on November 25th. The photo is courtesy of Marty Scott, Village Director of Municipal Services.

The store actually has its roots in the Village. It started in 1974 as a holiday pop-up store that King hosted in her Western Springs home—an event that ran successfully for 13 years. Buttel and King joined forces in 1983 to expand the growing business.

When the show exceeded the home’s capacity, they moved to an even larger venue, Katherine Legge Park in Hinsdale, and then to the DuPage County Fairgrounds. They finally found a permanent home in Westmont, where they have run the store until moving it back to the Village this year.

"Paula and Carol have a great backstory and the Village is excited that they chose to locate in Western Springs," Scott wrote in an e-mail. "They are well-stocked for the holidays and really provide a great personal touch for shoppers."