Publications & Sites 
Lake Barrington home and garden shop grows with the times
Teresa Vahl, outside sales employee for Pasquesi Home and Garden, helps a customer at the company's Lake Barrington location. | Photos courtesy of Pasquesi
Article Extras
Updated: February 5, 2013 12:10PM
LAKE BARRINGTON — Pasquesi Home and Garden in Lake Barrington has been providing plants and home décor to area residents since 1989, and the business has adapted to the changing landscape of Barrington.
“The original name was Pasquesi Home and Farm,” said Lisa Pasquesi, marketing director for Pasquesi.
Ed Pasquesi, who founded the business in Highland Park in 1975, said that although indoor and outdoor plants continue to be the company’s most popular items, certain farming products like horse feed have been replaced with organic dog and cat food. Ed Pasquesi said the north and northwest suburbs have changed a lot since he opened the Highland Park store.
“More homes have been built,” he said. “The 1990s was when we gravitated away from farm supplies. The business has changed and continues to change.”
Pasquesi, which is a family business, opened the Barrington location because of the open land in the area. Ed Pasquesi said they also wanted to open a store in a similar demographic as the North Shore. Today, Pasquesi has three locations, Barrington, Lake Forest and Lake Bluff.
Chris Milz, sales associate at the Barrington location, said the store is gearing up for spring.
“Spring is a very busy season,” said Milz, adding that she enjoys giving special attention to customer service. “We know our customers and the customers get to know us.”
Ed Pasquesi said although April, May and June are the busiest months, business picks up again around Christmas with residents buying trees and other seasonal decorations.
“That’s a big part of our business,” he said.
In addition to plants, Pasquesi also sells home décor, patio furniture, lawn supplies and pet food. Ed Pasquesi said the types of pet food they sell are natural and organic and reflect the changing attitudes about overall health.
“As we become more conscious of what we eat, people relate that to their pets,” he said.
Lisa Pasquesi said the information age has also changed business.
“People are able to access information from home,” she said. “There’s more information at their fingertips.”
Ed Pasquesi said he has always enjoyed the home and garden business and is pleased to have Lisa and his two other children in the business.
“It’s very much a family operation,” he said. “We’ve always liked retail. We like dealing with the products that we sell. There’s a great satisfaction that you get.”
