By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson

Hark The Herald Angels Sing!
Deanna Muth’s great sense of style makes The Pear Tree an irresistible shopping adventure.

Two years ago, Deanna Muth and her husband Thom were about to become empty nesters as their youngest child and only daughter, Andrea, was heading off to Penn State. Muth was facing that question that so many women have–after raising a family and sacrificing a second career, what will fill the next period of her life? The mother of three to Michael, 24, Bobby 23, and Andrea, now 20, was searching for a new creative outlet.

During a steamy August heat wave in the summer of 2006, Muth had a restless night with a dream containing the vivid image of a pear tree. It did not register with her at the time what it meant or represented, but it remained clearly burned in her memory. Two weeks later, feeling down in the dumps, Muth was walking out of Wayne’s Great American Pub with her husband and noticed an empty retail space across the street. “It was a total dump–just a real pit! Really, there was nothing appealing to the building except for the location which was on the corner of North Wayne Avenue directly across from the train station and facing [the busy] restaurant row. I peeked through the windows, turned to my husband and said, ‘What do you think? Could this be something I could sink my teeth into?’ We talked it over when we got home and he encouraged me to go for it. So, it was not long after that the wheels were in motion for me to open my own Main Line store,” recalled Muth.

A vintage children’s wagon brimming with holiday accents is a charming touch to welcome in passersby.

With a background in marketing and an eye for sophisticated home décor and upscale boutique items that would appeal to the Main Line shopper, Muth, a Broomall native, signed a lease in October of 2006 and opened The Pear Tree the following spring. She knew she needed to build a strong brand around the store name so she quickly scheduled a trip to New York City with a good friend who had a graphic design studio. “I told her the name of the shop and said nothing more. When I went back to review her designs, the image I had dreamt up a few months earlier was her exact sketch! It was a strange feeling, but The Pear Tree has been a spiritual journey. This is something that I have put my heart into,” said Muth.

Now, two years later the store is one of the most popular boutiques on the Main Line. This season its perfectly decorated with elegant holiday accents and a beautiful selection of
hostess gifts. Muth acknowledges that her inventory has been thoughtfully planned out. “It is really important to have the balance of great gifts and unique, locally produced items. I recognize so much talent in this area and I love welcoming local artists into my store to present their work, whether it’s their jewelry or paintings or pottery. We are open to seeing a variety because that is what our clients respond to, not just a store filled with catalogued items. Although, we do have some beautiful products from vendors we carry on a regular basis. As the owner, I want my customers to feel they can browse and enjoy our store and not feel pressured to buy…just enjoy the beautiful things we carry and the atmosphere we offer,” said Muth.

Ole Kris Kringle and many other festive decorations delight at The Pear Tree in Wayne.

A Jersey beach lover, Muth was also inspired by her summers at her house in Stone Harbor where she worked several years ago in a popular store called The Frog and Toad Shoppe (www.frogandtoadshop.com). Those summer vacations have become fewer and farther between with a bustling Main Line business. “I spend all my waking hours here and I would not trade it for the world. It keeps me busy and fulfilled to offer affordable beautiful gifts and make new friends with customers who walk through the door. This shop is a combination of all the shops that I miss that are no longer in existence on the Main Line,” Muth said.

For the holiday season, The Pear Tree has something for everyone at every price point, including pine-scented Trapp Candles, hand-blown German ornaments, $5 glass snowflakes, cleverly hand-crafted Santas, and charming Hanukkah accents. A superb selection of inventory and keen sense of style won The Pear Tree Philadelphia Magazine’s 2008 Best of Philly Hostess Gifts. Looking back, Muth reflects on a mid summer night’s dream that has turned into a terrific Main Line boutique and fulfilling career.

“I am here in this place, in this building, because I needed a new creative outlet. The Pear Tree to me exemplifies the art of saying thank you, a place where I can help you say to a friend, a loved one, a wife or girlfriend or perhaps someone in need of a pick me up, ‘I love you, I was thinking of you and here is a beautiful gift just for you.’ And what better gift can I offer through my store than the sentiment of gratitude? I can’t think of a more fulfilling dream.”

The Pear Tree is located at 133 North Wayne Avenue in Wayne, PA. The store is open Sundays 12-4pm, Mondays through Thursdays 10-6pm, Fridays 10-7:30pm and Saturdays 10-6pm. For more information contact Deanna Muth at The Pear Tree: 610-688-7202.