Renard and Company is an amalgamation of everything that inspires designer Rachel Fox. The design firm's retail space, located on St. Clair West, is a "beaudega", a home decor store, a presentation space, and a café all in one.

For 20 years, Fox had successfully run her business out of her personal residence with only herself and a small team, until she decided it was time to give Renard and Company a proper home. 

So she converted a property in the Wychwood neighbourhood into her first retail and showcase space. As it happens, the unit she purchased held sentimental value for both her and her neighbours. 

Previously Dom's Convenience, it was a beloved corner store purchased in 1966 by Domenico and Rosa Cozzi. Fox, who grew up in Toronto, raised her son in the neighbourhood and fondly remembers Dom teaching her son to count in Italian when he would visit for snacks. 

Cozzi was known in particular for inexpensive sandwiches coveted by the local community and freezies that he handed out to local kids.

Now Fox is the one handing out freezies straight from the freezer at the front of her design firm, where she sells other local foods and pantry supplies. There's even has a full-service coffee bar with weekly pastries. 

She enlisted distributor Faema Canada to equip the store with a coffee machine and teach her and her staff the art of espresso beverages.

For people who have spent their years working in design (not coffee), they're surprisingly good at it. I enjoyed a lovely iced vanilla latte. 

On Fridays, they sell Challah which customers reserve in advance, and on Saturdays, they put out donuts.

"We have little kids putting their hands on the window waiting to get in here for donut Saturday," Fox laughs.

She says that the community members encouraged this. "They loved coming in to get a can of tomatoes. And if they were in a pinch, they needed some eggs or some butter, so they said 'you have to do more'."

And Fox happily obliged.

Her carefully-curated pantry and frozen goods are all locally-sourced, just like her homewares.

Among the canned tomatoes and restaurant-quality eggs, you'll find Toronto favourites, like fresh bread from Surreal Sweets, pasta from Famiglia Baldassarre, pesto from Tre Mari, and pies from Gaucho Pie Co., which always sell out quickly. 

While you're there, you can shop home accessories right off the shelf. It's a beautiful space to walk through, especially with a coffee from the front bar in hand. 

When the Cozzi family visited for the first time since the sale, Dom and Fox exchanged a hug and cried. He was blown away by the changes.

The interior is exactly how Fox describes her taste — all about brightness and light. 

"I love when people come in here and they think this is very Scandinavian, very beach, very California. I've got all of those vibes, which are fabulous, because that means it's happy," she says.

In the back, you'll see Fox's aesthetic come to life in the staged presentation area, where she also hosts meetings with clients.

Though Fox's design work is predominantly residential, she's been known to work with restaurants as well, like Gare De L'Est in Leslieville. 

"I'd really love for this place to become a happy place for people to come and shop for their home decor accents, furniture, or a little advice," Fox says. Her hope is for Renard and Company to become a hub for local people to come and grab their specialty food, but also a pillow (or two).

Just the other day, she says a customer walked in to buy a coffee and fell in love with six dining chairs on display, so he returned with his husband and bought them. 

The response from the neighbourhood has been extremely positive so far, and Fox looks forward to continuing to get to know the members of her community.

Renard and Company is located at 134 Tyrrel Ave.