BIDDEFORD — Last week the Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce celebrated two local businesses – one that has been a mainstay throughout the city’s downtown renaissance and another that is a new addition to the thriving business community. Both businesses had ribbon cuttings on Thursday evening.

Suger Bōle

Designer Roxi Suger and her husband Julian Schlaver moved opened the boutique Suger in 2014 at 24 Alfred St. after moving to Biddeford from New York City. The boutique featured items from Suger’s locally made fashion line, Angelrox, as well as other American-made items.

Suger and Schlaver a few years later added a second boutique in Portland’s Old Port, and just recently moved and the Biddeford store to 5 Washington St.

The new Washington Street store, Suger Bōle, offers Suger’s trademark clothing line as well as a carefully curated selection of accessories and other products. Guests can rest on a leather couch while their loved ones shop, and there’s a “palace room” outfitted with chandeliers and a wall of mirrors.

The “Bōle” part of Suger Bōle is a take-out café, featuring gourmet grab and go selections, fresh salads, gluten-free baked goods, and locally roasted coffee, tea and chai.

“Bōle, which means the trunk of a tree seemed apropos as we will only be offering plant-based meals akin to our plant-based clothing that we produce in the historic Pepperell textile mill. It is also a fun play aligned with Suger for an extra touch of sweetness and fun,” said Suger.

The Washington Street location has a second entrance off Shevenell Park which inspired Suger and Schlaver to open the café. The 1920s art deco building has been beautifully restored and the windows that fill the rooms with natural light, said Suger. It also is conveniently located to parking, she said.

“When we discovered 5 Washington St., we knew it had all the right elements to be our new Suger home,” said Suger.

 

Rob French of Tod Ashton Design cuts a ribbon last week at his Biddeford showroom. Standing to the immediate left of French is his partner, Randy Buck. Also in the photo are Mayor Alan Casavant and French's parents.

Tod Ashton Design

Step into Tod Ashton Design at 2 Main St., suites 18-130 in the North Dam Mill complex and you’ll feel like you’ve been invited into the living room of a luxury beach home instead of the lower floor of a former mill building.

The interior design headquarters is tastefully appointed to create an upscale yet homey and comfortable atmosphere, and a sample of owner Rob French’s talents. The name of the business is a combination of Tod, French’s middle name; and Ashton, his partner Randy Buck’s middle name.

French offers a wide range of services, including personal shopping, staging homes to be put on the market, decorating consultation and home redesign.

“We’ll roll our sleeves up and work together with a client,” said French.

Tod Ashton Design was named one of the “Best of the Best” for September by Home Staging Resource, which has thousands of members across the country and beyond.

French has more than 25 years of experience as a buyer and visual merchandiser, bringing much expertise and passion to his role as a designer. He works with clients to rearrange their interiors, highlighting special items they own, and he will accommodate different budgets and styles. With the many connections he’s made over the years, French can often get items at a discounted rate, passing the savings along to his customers.

Another one of the services at Tod Ashton Design is holiday decoration. As evident by the multiple Christmas trees in his showroom, French loves Christmas.

“I've been obsessed for years with putting up holiday decorations,” he said.

His holiday portfolio includes many styles of decorated Christmas trees. There’s the traditional tree, with gold and red decorations; “Amethyst and Pearls” with purple flowers, white snowflakes and white and purple bulbs; “Winter Wonderland” with white snowflakes and gray and white bulbs, and “Seaside Christmas” with starfish and blue bulbs.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.