A familiar face is about to leave Vernon’s downtown business core.
Lucy Glennon, owner of Interior Gift Gallery and supporter of the Vernon Downtown Association (DVA) for the last 25 years, is handing the business over to long-time employee Carol Owen and her sister Debbie Kowalchuk.
Glennon plans to join husband John Glennon, who works with Sandler Training, a business management and sales development firm. The move will allow her to work from home and be closer to her two boys, Liam and Connor, ages nine and 12 respectively.
In 1986, Glennon was going to school in Alberta when her mother, Siegrid Wagner, became too ill to run the store. She decided to return to Vernon and slowly began to take over the business reigns. One of her first priorities was to get involved with the downtown business community, and quickly became a member of the DVA.
“I always found it was really important to be involved with what’s going on down here. It’s pretty hard to have an opinion about something when you’re not involved with it. You have to do your part to make change,” said Glennon, who credits Chris Roland, former co-ordinator of the business improvement area (BIA), for instigating many of the changes and revitalization of the downtown area that took place in the mid-90s.
Following the newly implemented BIA design guidelines, Interior Gift Gallery, opened by Wagner in 1983, became the first building to undergo a facelift.
“We took our building and stripped off all the layers and we created what it is now. It looks exactly like it used to (in 1894),” she said, noting the contractor sourced photos from the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives to ensure accuracy.
“That was really important to me, keeping the design guidelines and the heritage look of downtown. That’s what kind of sets us apart.
“My only regret is that we didn’t vote on it all at once; to do the whole downtown, versus doing it in stages. I guess hindsight is 20/20.”
Over the years, Glennon has watched DVA initiatives such as the mural program and Sunshine Festival transform from fledgling projects into key visitor attractions.
“It (Sunshine Festival) just used to be a street sale with a few merchants out on the street with a few tables. Now it’s a festival with all the bands and the vendors. It just grew into a much bigger thing,” said Glennon, who eventually stepped back her DVA duties when she had children.
Pat Cochrane, owner of Vernon Lock & Safe and former DVA vice-president, recalled Glennon’s efforts in supporting the downtown business core during her time as president. He also credited her as being one of the driving forces behind the downtown revitalization project in its infancy.
“She was certainly a strong advocate on behalf of the downtown merchants. She put a lot of effort into the DVA,” said Cochrane, a Coldstream councillor and former Vernon councillor.
“She will be missed; she was a strong presence.”
Glennon can leave Interior Gift Gallery with the knowledge it will remain in caring hands.
“I’m happy it’s Carol that’s taking over the business. She’s been working for me for 24 years. We joke that most people think she owns the store,” smiled Glennon.
“Since I had children, I don’t work here full time. She’s basically the face of Interior Gift Gallery.”
Over the years, Glennon estimates the company has donated $40,000 to various local charities – hospice, food bank, hospital foundation, diabetes – through its gift wrapping program.
She is also involved in the Pamper Your Palate charity silent auction.
