Longest operating store in Mount Dora is a fashionable destination

While the world of fashion is always changing, one constant in trendy styles is at The Drawer Ltd. in downtown Mount Dora.

For 41 years, those interested in the latest style have frequented The Drawer Ltd. The shop began as a needlepoint shop, but through the decades has evolved into an all-encompassing shop of chic threads, jewelry and beauty products.

More amazing than its remarkable streak of supplying stylish fashions for more than four decades is The Drawer’s Ltd.’s commitment to its customers. In addition to a friendly welcome and a warm smile, employees go above and beyond to make sure shoppers find the right fit for their lifestyle.

“A lot of the people that come by, we know by name,” said Bootie Pearson, who owns the shop with her mother Ermyne Pearson. “They’re more like friends than customers. My mom always said it should feel like your home when you’re walking in.”

The Drawer Ltd. features a collection of famous and stylish brands to choose from including Vera Bradley, Brighton, Crab Tree& Evelyn, Christine Alexander, Caswell- Massey, Big Sky Carvers, Tribal, Jams World and Treska. The store still features an assortment of needlepoint items as well.

How the store received its unique moniker is whenever Bootie would ask her grandmother where something was located in their house, she said to look “in the drawer.”

“So every town needs a drawer,” Bootie said.

Bootie credits the store’s success to its loyal customer base and its home, Mount Dora.

“I think what is special about this town is it is what everybody likes to come home to,” she said. “It’s what a real downtown is. It’s not a replica or something else. These days I think it seems people are trying to duplicate what we are.”