A new Avenue to explore

Ashley Harkins is right at home helping others feel at home.

Her store, Design Avenue, is the newest suite on the block in the strip center behind Johnny O’Quigley’s.

Though the retail store, full of sparkling lamps and lavish sofas, has only been around for about two weeks, Design Avenue has been creating beautiful interiors around Destin for about 13 years.

Harkins, owner, operator and licensed designer of Design Avenue, has been conducting business out of her office and warehouse for years and has just recently been able to add the retail aspect to her business.

“It’s nice because now my clients can touch and feel the products,” said Harkins

Customers can come into the store and set up appointments with Harkins to design particular rooms, or even re-do an entire house. If you don’t have that kind of time, and are just looking to add a few touches to spruce up a room, her store sells pieces of furniture and housing accessories that have already been approved by her artistic eye.

Walking around the showroom-like retail store also gives clients a good feel for her style, which can be described as clean, classic with splashes here and there of a traditional southern feel. The space is new in that no one has rented it before. So every inch of the space is her design.

Harkins has deigned many investment properties and condos in the area in which the owners live out of town. She hopes to gain more local clientele with her new store. Harkins hopes to benefit from all the female foot traffic walking nearby going to and from Ulta Beauty.

Though she is weary of the economic times, Harkins knows that when business has been down for so long, the only thing it can do is rebound. The oil catastrophe, however, took her by surprise.

“Well I signed the lease ten days after the oil spill,” she said with a sigh. “But I’m not going anywhere.”

Harkins grew up in Destin only leaving the area for a short time, while she earned her degree in design at Florida State University. Business being slow or booming, she’s always managed through. If anything, she was able to experience some success recently with the opening of her new place.

During her grand opening, she had snacks, beverages, and a store-wide sale of 15 percent off. Harkins said she was real happy with the turnout.

To see some of Ashley’s Designs visit her website at www.design-Avenue.com

Design Avenue is located at 34940 Emerald Coast Parkway suite 114. Call 850-424-5155 for more information.