Von Hemert Interiors closes after a century of designing interiors and furniture in Southern California

There were four generations of von Hemerts that ran Von Hemert Interiors. The company started in 1920 with great-grandmother Anna von Hemert and used to be called the Chintz Shop. They cut fabric by yardage off the bolt and provided other services such as drapery, reupholstery and interior design.

Then, her son, Theodore, joined the family business after taking an apprenticeship in New York. When Anna wanted to retire, the business relocated to Laguna Beach, where Theodore’s son, Barry von Hemert, joined and started importing furniture from Italy and Spain.

Then came Barry’s children in the 1990s — Carrie, Kelly and Mickey von Hemert.

Mickey von Hemert left the business nine years ago and Carrie von Hemert and her younger sister, Kelly, have been running it since.

The store on Newport Boulevard that stands today in Costa Mesa was built for the business in the late 1970s and is where the business remained, Carrie von Hemert said. The stores they used to have in Laguna Beach and Torrance are closed now. The Laguna Beach one was sold in 2016 and the Torrance location, von Hemert said, they’re trying to lease after moving out of it in January.

And, come June 29, Carrie and Kelly are closing up shop for the last time in Costa Mesa after a century.

The Costa Mesa store will hold an in-store auction on June 27 and 28, starting at 11 a.m. on both days. The store is also holding an online auction, which will close on June 29.

The decision was made in August 2019 to close and has nothing to do with the coronavirus pandemic, though it did cause the store to close its doors in March.

“We were coming up on our 100-year anniversary. We just really felt it was a good timing to close this year,” Carrie von Hemert said.

“We’ve been well known in the area for doing interior design. Our niche has really been catering to our clientele’s need and kind of making their dreams come true in their homes and doing all their interior design from flooring to draperies to furnishing,” von Hemert said, adding that their customer service, imports and high-end American brands also contributed to their reputation.

“That’s been our niche,” she said. “It’s really been our passion for four generations and, you know, we just felt it was time and I think with ... the way that people shop now and so many people shop online, certainly, retail has changed.”

“So, we’re … going to be leasing out this location and [are] just ready to start a new chapter,” von Hemert said. Her plans for the future are to take some time off to spend with her family.

Von Hemert said that she’s heard from customers that said they didn’t know where they were going to buy home furnishings from now after the announcement and that some clients have been shopping with her family for generations.

She said some of her best memories have been celebrating with and getting to know her and her family’s customers like when they celebrated their 90th anniversary in Laguna Beach when the store was still open and, she added, being invited to a client’s wedding once and getting to be friends with them.

Another client, she said, invited the von Hemerts to a catered cocktail party in Monarch Beach, where they had refurnished their client’s home.

“It was gorgeous. It was just a proud moment. I have so many. I’ve been with the company for almost 30 years. I have a lot of fond memories and I think I worked in our Laguna store pretty much most of my career,” von Hemert said, “and I just have some wonderful memories of that store and the customers ... and just that community being down in that little village community was very special.”

When asked what she would want to say to her family’s customers, von Hemert said, “I would send my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to our customers that became our friends and you know just thank the community for all of their outpouring support and … it’s been a joy serving the community all these years.”

Von Hemert Interiors, a Costa Mesa business is closing its doors on June 29.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

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