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Feeling a little ZANY
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A massive white, gauzy lamp hung from the ceiling, a downy tassel clinging to the tip. Earrings dangling and shimmering hung from hooks and shelves. Wreathes constructed from vibrant feathers polka-dotted the store, and a wall of nothing but necklaces reflected back a shining display.
I silently wondered if I’d entered a Parisian boutique on rue St. Honore in Paris. I walked into the store, located on the top floor of the Boise Towne Square near Macy’s, and was greeted genuinely by owners Allen and Sharon Yadon.
I meandered between sparkling rings, picture frames and colossal stone statues that looked as if they’d been the only remnants of a once-sensational Greek garden. This store, I thought as I scratched my temple with a fingertip, really ought to be located in downtown Boise, instead of a nook across from GNC.
Allen and Sharon Yadon, who are partial owners alongside friends Valerie Hruza and Jami Wood, said they moved to Boise from Seattle because they wanted a career change. When asked how and why Zany got its start, Allen said he and his wife had lived in Boise about 10 years ago. “Valerie’s from here. We wanted to open up a store and she was considering doing something in home decor,” Allen said.
They said they decided on the name Zany after weeks of brainstorming and with the blessing of their children. “We asked them if ‘Zany’ was a cool name,” Allen said. With the ambiance the store embodies,
“Sharon and I focus in on all the accessories and jewelry. Valerie and Jami focus in on all the home accents,” Allen said.
Sharon said they select their merchandise by hand and usually buy from market and during their travels. “We personally go and choose,” Sharon said. “Most of our stuff right now is out of New York,” Allen chimed in.
I mentioned to the classy couple that their store reminded me of so many places I’d shopped in Europe, and asked them if that was an intentional look. “Yeah, that’s us, it kind of came together with the two areas (fashion jewelry and home decor) but it’s just our style, it’s who we are,” Allen said. “Coming into the Boise Towne Square mall, we needed to create something a little different,” he said.
As Allen and Sharon answered my questions, I couldn’t help but stare across the room, questionably, at those feather wreaths. Finally, I asked them just what does one do with a feather wreath.
“There’s a lot of things you can do with a feather wreath,” Sharon said, smiling, “especially because they’re made of real feathers, so they hold their luster and texture if you have them outdoors.” She also told me that if they get wet outside they will still hold their shape and form. “You can put them on a table and put a candle in the middle, or, because of the colors we’ve picked (think reds, greens and neutrals). They can go anywhere,” she finished with a head nod and a satisfactory smile.
For those who’ve never entered the serendipitous door of Zany, Allen said it’s a unique store. “It’s fun, great gift items, the latest in fashion jewelry and home decor; it’s a warm and inviting place”
“People tell us [this store] is something we needed in Boise,” Sharon said.
She also told me that people like the price tags in Zany. “We want people to feel good about what they’re buying and still feel like they have money in their pockets when they walk out the door.”
Given the downtown-feeling this store has, I asked the couple if they would consider moving their precious Zany into the heart of Old Boise.
“I don’t know. We’re really wanting to see how it goes here in the mall. It’s in the back of our minds though, and we’re considering maybe a secondary [location] but we’re not sure yet,” Allen said.
On a final note, Sharon and Allen are hoping readers will go see their store, even if just on a window-shopping-spree.
“Come visit us, see what you think, we’d love to have you drop in,” Sharon said.
“We’d love people to come check us out,” Allen added with a sincere smile.
Hadley Rush / Culture Writer
