We are privileged to feature our next Fierce Femme, Andrea Van Groningen. As the Founder of The Avenue Home Staging and her newest venture, Shoppe at the Avenue at Pavilion West. Andrea brings her 8+ years of interiors experience to the Central Valley. A wife, mom of 6, and an entrepreneur of multiple businesses with a design eye, of course, we had to ask Andrea, “How do you do it all?” Her response:

If it seems like I’ve been able to take on a lot, it's not without a huge amount of help! We’ve got a team of over a dozen talented people who I love spending time with. None of this would be possible without them.

They say “it takes a village” to raise a family, and Andrea is doing that AND building a tremendous family of brands, all with style and grace. In opening her latest venture, Shoppe at the Avenue at Pavilion West, RPM got to talk to Andrea and get a sneak peek of the beautiful space, the rare and unique finds that Andrea and her team have curated, and hear more about what it’s like to walk a day in her shoes. Read on to get to know Andrea.

Q: What does a day in the life of Andrea look like?

A: I wake up early to spend the morning with my family as we get ready for school & work . Then I meet my design and staging team in the warehouse to discuss the day's home. We talk floorplan, lay out, color scheme, and from there the team begins the staging process. I then head to my home office to work on day-to-day items, and see what needs to happen for upcoming stagings. I also go into the Shoppe four days a week. Social media is an important part of my businesses, so I’m often posting and staying connected to our followers on our Instagram accounts. There is a lot of brainstorming that goes on, because things are always changing and evolving in both businesses. Managing two teams does require my time as well, but it's fun, especially because I love who I work with! I am always networking with our clients, real estate agents, customers, and vendors. When I’m not in the Shoppe, I try to finish my work day by 3:00 pm so I can spend time with my husband and 6 kids. We’re very intentional about family dinners and family time. At 8:00 pm every night, I talk to my dad on the phone. We share about our days and it is a sweet time for both of us. I also try not to work weekends, but it's hard because I love what I do!

Q: Tell us how The Avenue was established, and why.

A: The Avenue started out with the home staging business by accident. Among many other things, my husband is a realtor. He asked for my help writing a listing description for one of his buddy’s' houses, and when I looked at the pictures I thought it could use a little sprucing up. So I brought in rugs, pillows, art, and decor. The home sold quickly with great reviews from the showings. I loved what I did, but didn’t know what it was called. After some research I discovered it was home staging! I knew with my passion and skill that I wanted to take a chance and start a home staging business.

Q: In hiring The Avenue for home staging, what can a client expect?

A: We take a vacant house and through furnishing and decorating turn it into a home anyone would love to live in. We mindfully take into account scale, style, and color scheme when planning the layout of furniture and selection of art, textiles, and accessories. In our 8 years of being in business, over 85% of the 700+ homes we staged have gone into escrow in under 12 days. So not only are we doing something we love and are passionate about, we’re offering a service that helps sellers, realtors, and the buying process.

Q: The Avenue now has a new retail store, Shoppe at The Avenue - what inspired you to start this?

A: In staging homes, sellers would often remark that their home had never looked and felt this good before, and would ask for help with their next home. Buyers ask for help to decorate their new home, or purchase the furnishings and decor that we brought in. Through years of sourcing items for our staging business, I have built great relationships with various vendors, so I figured, why not?! Let's open a shop! About a year ago, an opportunity came up for a short term sublease in Old Town Clovis. Loving entrepreneurship, this new space seemed low risk, so my husband and I decided to try it out! Although opening a retail store has never been part of the plan, much like the staging business, it has become another beautiful creative outlet.

Q: The store was originally in Old Town Clovis and has since moved to Pavilion West - is it the same? Why the change?

A: The response from our customers was encouraging, and the whole retail experience turned out to be quite enjoyable. We were constantly asked if we offered furniture, but the space was not big enough for that. We felt the support of the community and our customers, and took the leap into a larger space. Our new space is now 3 times larger! We still have a collection of items for the home curated by me, just on a larger scale. We now offer furniture as well. My love for vintage is still very much felt in the Shoppe as we carry many vintage pieces from various parts of the world.

Q: What can buyers expect in visiting Shoppe at The Avenue?

A: Buyers can expect to feel all of my favorite things about home. From the moment you walk in, it feels like a well loved, nicely planned space with intentional design, a warm and inviting atmosphere, and pieces all around you that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical for everyday use.

Q: If you could name three things you’re most passionate about, what would they be and why?

A: 1) My relationship with Jesus - couldn’t live life without him!

2) Intentional family time - I’ve learned to be intentional because time goes by so quickly

3) The balance between hustle and rest - it’s ok to love your work, but it’s not all that life is about.

Q: What do you want to be known for?

A: I want to be known for living a life well loved. I love what I do every day. I love the people I get to work with. I love my home. I love being a mom and creating special memories with my family.

Q: What does being a “Fierce Femme” mean to you?

A: To me, being a Fierce Femme means being fearless. Not that I always am, because I’m not. But taking chances, knowing the possible risk of failure, and going for it anyways. Then taking each failure not as a negative, but as a building block and growth experience.

Fierce Femmes: Andrea Van Groningen - The Avenue Home Staging