Jackie Holzheimer fondly remembers spending afternoons at her family’s business at 10901 Carnegie Ave. as a fourteen-year-old, playing hide-and-go-seek, conducting treasure hunts and exploring the goods and fabrics of Holzheimer Interiors.

“I would go there on Saturdays and play designer,” she recalls. “It felt like a second home to me.”

Holzheimer Interiors was founded in 1902 by John Holzheimer as a store that specialized in interior and exterior residential painting. When his son, Frank, took over he added wall coverings to the company’s specialties. Frank’s sons in turn added furniture and custom cabinetry, upholstery and window treatments.

Holzheimer's aunt was a bookkeeper for the store. Her mother, Kathryn was a designer for the company and, although retired, still participates in operations and maintains her client connections.

As the fifth generation of Holzheimers to run the store, Jackie has transformed Holzheimer Interiors into a full-service design firm featuring the same quality and standards that established the company 114 years ago.

Long gone from its Carnegie Avenue home for 60-plus years, Holzheimer Interiors has always called Northeast Ohio home. In January Holzheimer opened the shop at 12733 Larchmere Blvd. in Shaker Heights in a 1920 store front that was once operated by the sisters of Shaker’s first mayor, William Van Aken.

"This, to me, is a nod to our history,” Holzheimer says of the new storefront, which, like the original Holzheimer store, has big windows that display changing vignettes of living areas.

Holzheimer moved into the 2,500-square-foot space the first of this year, taking some time to remodel it before she opened the doors to the public, who are invited by appointment only. A coat of paint and new lighting freshened the shop's look. Holzheimer is also having a replica of the store’s original sign at the Carnegie location made for the new Larchmere shop.

While updating the space, Holzheimer also discovered a pleasant surprise: the original maple hardwood floors. “When I pulled it up, I said ‘oh my god, we have to refinish this,’” she recalls.

Holzheimer installed four islands with white countertops as work areas. “There were certain things I knew I wanted to do with the floor plan, where things would be located,” she says. The large front windows and 10-foot ceilings provide plenty of natural light, while the off-white walls create a neutral palette for customers to evaluate different patterns and colors.

The open space allows Holzheimer and her designers to present different floor plans based on their clients’ room layouts – always presenting three distinctive options to each client. “There are thousands and thousands of options out there, so our philosophy is: have it be unique,” she explains. To that end, the store represents 3,000 manufacturers.

Holzheimer says she can work with any budget. “Our pricing is very competitive, or often cheaper, than the big box stores,” she boasts. “Everybody deserves good design,” she says. “You can have quality furniture that will last you for 25 years.” She travels all over to work with her clients, the vast majority of whom are referred by other clients. The firm does not advertise.

The lower level is reserved for an inventory of lamps, artwork and accessories to complete a room. “It gives an option,” explains Holzheimer. “That finishing touch of a room that bring it all together.”

While Holzheimer was previously based in Novelty, she says she chose Shaker Heights because of its history and retail neighbors that complement her business.

“Larchmere is a very fitting environment,” she says, adding that other area stores sell antiques, collectibles and Oriental rugs. “We’re a natural fit with our neighbors and all of us help one another.”

History and location notwithstanding, maintaining the Holzheimer Interiors reputation is the biggest priority for her. “To me, the history of the company is very important, the quality of the products and quality of service is very important,” she says.  

“Being fifth generation, I don’t know many people who have that legacy. I want to keep the name strong and keep that name alive.”