Neighborhood has flare for sophistication

FILE/The Capital-Journal

Porterfield's flower shop is the corner anchor of the Westboro Mart.

Westboro Mart

Westboro Mart is at S.W. Huntoon and Oakley, and includes:

- Porterfield's Flowers

- Home Collections

- Patio, Pool and Fireside

- Roberts Fine Jewelry

- Westboro Hair Center

- Collective Art Gallery

- Westboro Antiques

- The Beauchamp Frame Shop and Gallery

- Frank Johnson Dentistry

- MB Piland Advertising and Marketing

- CIS Inc. Renter Screening and Security

- Sourlock Financial Services Inc.

- As Images Ltd.

- The Life Transitional Center

By Sarah Jones

Special to The Capital-Journal

When Topekans are looking for fine flowers or modern home decor, they can find these and many more amenities in one place: Westboro Mart.

Westboro has been a part of Topeka since 1926, when Tinkham Veale developed the neighborhood. Since the 1920s, the neighborhood has continued to grow and thrive.

One of the most popular shops in the Westboro Mart also has been one of its cornerstones since it moved from S.W. 21st and Medford in 1979.

Porterfield's Flowers has been in the Porterfield family since 1965. David Porterfield inherited the shop from his father and decided to move it to Westboro when a building became available.

"This building itself is really the reason we moved," Porterfield said. "This area is so distinctive; it has its own personality and character."

Porterfield has taken that personality and character of his building and incorporated it in his business.

"We try to stay with very traditional and elegant styles," he said. "That is what I really like and we have found that, that is what a lot of our customers like, too."

And while many customers who frequent Porterfield's are from the neighborhood, customers from all over come, too, Porterfield said.

"We do a lot of business in Manhattan and Lawrence, even some in Wichita," he said.

Each Friday, Porterfield's has a different selection of flowers that are priced at $5.

"The reason I started that was I thought the store was so pretty but so intimidating, and I didn't want people to be afraid to come in," he said.

The idea was to generate a little more business for the store, and it worked, he said.

"It can get really crazy in here on Fridays," Porterfield said. "That is because I make sure the flowers people are getting are a really a good deal."

Several other shops also offer unique items in Westboro.

Westboro Mart boasts stores like Patio, Pool and Fireside, specializing in products needed for the upkeep and beautification of patios, pools and fireplaces.

Shoppers can find fine jewelry and watches at Roberts Fine Jewelry, which also repairs items. Or get a hair cut at the Westboro Hair Center.

If people are looking to redecorate their houses or find unique home decor, they can visit Home Collection.

Home Collections has been in Westboro since 1993. Before that, Todd D. Reeves and Jorge Saiz, co-owners, had a store in New York. Reeves, born and raised in Kansas, wanted to return to Topeka and open a new store with the same styles experienced in New York.

Reeves said, as the two were driving around looking for a spot to open their store, they drove through Westboro to look.

"I said, 'There's an old strip center. That's really cool, and I'm sure there's never a vacancy,' " Reeves said. "Then as we drove around the corner and pulled up, a for-rent sign was in one of the windows."

The first store the two opened was in the spot now occupied by the jewelry store. When the spot where their current store is became available, they moved to have more room.

"We had a little furniture at the time," said Reeves, "and our customers were asking for more furniture. So to have more furniture, we needed to have more room."

Unlike Porterfield's, which embraces the old traditional charm of Westboro and incorporates it into the business, Reeves and Saiz like the contrast that Westboro brings to their modern, contemporary wares.

Customers will find home accessories ranging from picture frames, flower vases, candles and other small decor items. They will find larger, more expensive items like couches, tables and chairs and rugs.

"We see customers from all over because there isn't another store like us anywhere close," Reeves said.

If all the different choices in the store is too much for shoppers to decide on themselves, Reeves and Saiz do interior decorating including much more than what can be found in their store.

"The interior design part of our business is tremendous," Reeves said. "Those are the things you can't see in the store, but you name it, and we can do it."

Sarah Jones is a student at Washburn University.

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