‘Picasso’s living room’

Peter Path was riding his bike home from the farmers’ market this past August when he saw an empty storefront in the middle of the 800 block of Broadway Street. It beckoned his entrepreneurial spirit. Path and his wife, Eleanor, had recently moved to Chico from Santa Monica, where they’d owned a vintage home furnishing store called Acapillow. They say they left the beachfront city after a Starbucks moved in nearby and their rent tripled. “We said, ‘It’s our time, our chance to hit the road,’” Path recalled. On Dec. 3, Acapillow opened its doors at 830 Broadway St., where one can find an array of goods, from handmade, decorative pillows to upcycled furniture and rare pieces of art. Acapillow is open Monday-Saturday. For more information, visit acapillow.com.

How did you get into the pillow business?

My wife started making pillows for friends … and [then] started selling …. Then a manufacturer called Dino Mark Anthony asked us to put pillows around his showroom and sell them at market to enhance his showroom. The first show that we had in San Francisco we did $200,000 in orders, and realized we might have something. I was a contractor, and started to get involved and ended up creating a monster.

When was this?

The mid-’90s, and it was a hit. Our look was incredible. Then Eleanor started designing fabrics. … Then after 9/11 and after the collapse of the market, we were kind of the first to go—luxury items—and so we had to diversify: manufacture, wholesale and resale.

I see you have an array of products.

We specialize in vintage fabrics that we make into pillows. We have a complete line of upholstery, custom-made upholstery, in Los Angeles. We can custom-make any size or shape you like. And we’re really proud to sponsor a lot of upcycled and recycled casegood [furniture made of hard materials, like wood or metal] products. Beds. Dressers. Coffee tables. Dining tables. Just because you don’t see it in our store doesn’t mean we don’t have it available.

How would you describe the store’s aesthetic?

A very world-traveled store. I would say that it is Picasso’s living room.

What are some of the more exotic pieces you carry?

We have some great posters, vintage posters. We have things from Africa, India. We have Moroccan salt bags. Products range from the late-1800s to the midcentury. We have a great children’s line as well.

Any plans for the store?

We want to be an asset to the community, as a means of bringing rare finds, and a custom high-end showroom, for all your custom sewing needs. We want to have poetry readings, book signings and open mic nights and different functions in the store to make it a complete lifestyle store.

What are some of the services the sew room provides?

We can manufacture pillows, bedding, window treatments, custom cushions, bench cushions, new cushions for your breakfast nook, things like that.