PHOTOS COURTESY HOUSE15143

It was more than a decade ago when Danielle Franks suggested sprucing up the quaint streets of Sewickley during a local mom’s club playgroup; her friend, Kristin Bourdeau, also admitted to feeling an “itch” to do something within the community. 

Both had backgrounds in retail, as well as an interest in home design and decor, and in September 2011 they opened House15143, which they named for  Sewickley’s zip code — 15143.

Franks says she wanted the store to represent a “younger, more hip vibe” throughout the village. 

“We just felt like it needed a fresh spin on gifting and decor,” she says. 

Over the years, House15143 became a home design destination thanks to its curated collection of unique host gifts, local art pieces and exclusive candle lines. The friends also incorporated vintage items within the store, which attracted customers in search of timeless pieces, as well as seasonal decor.

“Curating the vintage and mixing the old with the new is something we really pride ourselves on,” Franks says. 

Now raising teenagers and sending their kids off to college, Bourdeau and Franks say they’re both ready to pursue their next venture. In January, House15143 closed its doors for good. 

“We just wanted to take a pause, do some traveling, have some personal time, and really just investigate some other opportunities both personally and professionally for each of us,” Franks says. 

Like Bordeau, Franks says her favorite part of owning the store was watching their kids grow up between the aisles, adding House 15143 was special because it not only served as a destination for home decor, but as a welcoming space for families. 

“It was a great place for them to explore, to work here, to see their moms do something within the community,” Franks says. “It was always a great experience, having that anchor in the hometown.” 

Packing up the last of the store’s boxes, the women reflected on the success of House15143 — and noted how thankful they remain for their supporters.  

“We really appreciate people traveling from all over to come visit us, whether it’s at Christmas time or whenever they’re in town visiting relatives,” Franks says. “We’ve made a lot of friends and family friends and just a lot of great connections through this door.”

“I think we would just like to thank them for shopping in our store,” Bordeau adds, “And truly give us heartfelt thanks the last couple of months knowing that we were closing.”