Fond Farewell: A Message from Kathy Frey at Festoon

Dear Friends,

Nineteen and a half years ago,  I pioneered a Boutique called Festoon that has paved the way for other dreamers and entrepreneurs to follow. It has been the most rewarding experience of my life. It is now time to say goodbye. Letting go of what has become such an important part of who I am as a professional and a creative person has been very emotional for me. This has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life.

My husband Bruce and I have had many discussions about the stage of life we are both in and what we want for the next chapter without the stress and continued physical challenges of a Boutique the size of Festoon. The answers came only after much consideration.

It has been a wonderful journey filled with amazing memories of growing our business. The original location in the Hager building expanded to the window street side of almost 1,700 square feet with a second location that opened in Lititz at the Brighton Village. The best was yet to come when we moved to the Firehouse on Duke Street of 3,500 square feett where our brand grew to heights I never thought possible.  My love and passion exploded as we were able to design our own line of clothing called Selga, highlight many local artisans, and create with the expertise of a local professional our line of personal care called Brio.

We supported many USA manufacturers along the way in addition to supporting ethical and sustainable artisans with an approach to Fair Trade from countries around the world. Our relationship with many of our vendors translated into exclusive products made for Festoon, such as local pottery, candles, and locally blown glass tumblers, not to mention my own line of jewelry called Pearl Odessey.

All of this came from a fearless approach with God revealing his gifts to me along the way, while I shared them with all of you. It started with a small business of selling locally grown celery to my customers along my hometown route of Manheim at the age of 9.

The support and recognition Festoon has received over the years from our local newspaper LNP, Fig magazine, Lancaster County Magazine, Balance Magazine, Susquehanna Style, and many others has been such an honor, and we have appreciated that spotlight.

There would never have been the same success we have experienced without the Festoon staff.  I have always had the mindset that your staff is your biggest asset and that is very true to this day. Their professionalism has set us apart from so many other small businesses, and I am beyond grateful to them all. Kris Pryor, specifically, who is with me today, has shown a love and passion for her position that only few employers are fortunate enough to experience. She has supported me and the Festoon brand with loyalty for almost 10 years. I would also like to honor Nichelle, Joan, Lisa, and Stacey, who all have amazing unparalleled qualities that always make your visit memorable and with full circle service. I would also like to honor and thank Nancy Geib who had been with me for over 16 years. Both the Brighton location and the Firehouse benefited from all her years of dedication and loyalty.

My husband Bruce has supported me through all these years and has been Festoon’s backbone throughout with his ever-present love and passion for what we were building together. He remains to be my rock.

Behind the scenes there has always been the presence of my dear friend since first grade, Doris. She not only has taken care of much of my bookkeeping, but also the roll of confidant and supporter. We created the mission statement together 20 years ago: “ To Awaken and Inspire with Passion, the Creative Spirit within all those we Serve.”

From day one in 2004, we adopted the Golden Rule of kindness and courtesy, love and respect, which has led to our relationships with all of you, our treasured customers. Many of you are now my friends, and I consider you my family. Your ever present enthusiasm and response to our curated products has been overwhelming, and I am honored by your patronage of the almost 20 years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will greatly miss seeing you on a day-to-day basis, and I will hold close to me the many memories we have made together.

Lastly, I want you to know Bruce and I have plans together along with our doggie Turk to travel a bit, to visit with Bruce’s son in New Mexico, to use our camper, and explore the United States. When at home in Lancaster, I will be serving others through volunteering and participating more in my church. I will be practicing on my ukulele, camping on a beach somewhere, and nurturing friendships. It has been a wonderful career I will never forget, and I hope to see you all somewhere when we are out and about town.

With so much love and appreciation,

Kathy and Bruce

Thank you to Kathy Frey for creating Festoon and bringing joy, energy, and style to Lancaster City and the pages of Fig for nearly 20 years. She has fulfilled her mission “to awaken and inspire, with passion, the creative spirit within all those we serve.” Kathy will be closing the doors of Festoon on August 1 so she can travel the country with her husband Bruce and dog Turk.

As of May 1, Festoon is starting with a Friends and Family Discount of 30% on most of their stock (some exclusions apply). They will keep you informed through social media and emails in regards to a timeline and selling through their product as they approach the closure of August 1. Until then, please visit, and they will be happy to honor all gift cards and store credits dated from 2018 and thereafter until they close.