Acorn Interiors, side of 10 Essex Street, is one stop shopping for fabric, fabric trim, hardware, blinds and shutters, custom window treatments, bedding, rugs and reupholstery services, according to owner Paula Bakies.

For those who are "not inclined to sew", they have an on-site work room for custom services.

Named after her former address, Bakies ran her fabric business out of her home on Acorn Drive for 8 years. After selling her house two years ago, she was searching for a location to set up her business. Her friend and owner of  Metamorphosis, front of 10 Essex Street, called her about the available spot next store. “The timing was perfect,” she said.

Bakies has over 24 years of experience, starting in Ohio, then California, and Andover. She grew up in Reading, and is happy to be back in this area.

Displaying an impressive library of fabric books, Bakies contracts with designers through her Deluxe program to bring their customers to her shop. Currently she works with 6 designers; the majority who work out of their own homes. 

“It is more convenient for them bring their clients here, instead of having to go to the design center in Boston. I take care of the ordering of samples and fabrics for them,” she said.

If a customer walks in and knows what they want, she or her assistant Charlene Caruso can assist them. But if they are looking for a total redesign for their room or home, she will refer them to one of the designers. “It depends how knowledgeable they are," she explained.

Acorn Interiors is a "Priority Dealer" of Hunter Douglas and Comfortex blinds and shutters. Bakies said she will go out to the customer home to take measurements, and she has a professional installer who works with her.

“We take your project from design to fabrication to installation,” she explained.

Bakies is looking to broaden Acorn Interior’s scope of services and has recently introduced custom, “any size any shape”, wall to wall and area rugs.

Most of her advertisement is word of mouth, although she said she has placed ads in the North Shore Magazine and the Andover Townsman.

Bakies said that her participation in the recent Andover Day, “was a huge success for me, with a lot of people stopping by the shop."

Although Acorn Interiors is located on the side of the building, it is across from Memorial Hall Library. Occasionally, they have a remnant bin outside the store, which seems to attract people, she said.

The hours are Wed-Sat, 10am-5pm and Mon-Tues by appointment. The phone number is 978-273-9717 or for more information, check out the website.