After Devastating Fire, Isola Home Owner Opens New Boutique on Centre Street

FERNANDINA BEACH - The owner of the former Isola Home store that was damaged by a fire on Feb. 10 has reopened in a new location and with a new name.

The new store, called Coral Luxury Coastal Lifestyle, opened on Oct. 14 at 503-C Centre Street in downtown Fernandina Beach. It will differ somewhat from Isola Home, which was located on Eighth Street, says owner Lori Lecker.

The new boutique will combine the home accessories, decorative pieces and gift collections that customers enjoyed at Isola Home with resort wear, shoes, swimwear, loungewear, jewelry and more, Lecker says. “It’s really about a lifestyle rather than any single category of merchandise.”

The store also features a complimentary bar with liquor, wine and champagne.

“I want Coral to be a place where someone can find a beautiful dress for dinner, the perfect pair of sandals, an extraordinary gift for a friend or something wonderful for their home, all while their husband has a drink of his favorite bourbon or scotch,” Lecker says. “It's really about a lifestyle rather than any single category of merchandise."

The opening of Coral concludes a six-month journey of heartbreak and perseverance by Lecker. Isola was housed in a historic Victorian house, built in the 1960s by Captain William B. Bell, a river pilot and builder. Officials determined the fire was caused by old cloth wiring in the attic.

Isola featured furnishings, unusual accessories, art and decorative pieces. The fire did not destroy the entire building; however the damage was extensive, Lecker says.

“Initially, we thought everything was lost. Fortunately, we have since learned that the building can be repaired,” she says. “However, we have made the difficult decision that once restored, the property will have to be sold. The aesthetic and atmosphere of Isola Home were so unique that we simply don't believe we could recreate that same experience in the original location.”

Coral captures the spirit of Isola Home, Lecker says, adding that her inspiration is drawn from Palm Beach and other luxury, coastal resort areas of Florida.

“The same love of beautiful things, the same attention to detail, and the same commitment to finding merchandise that is distinctive and special will continue at Coral,” she says. “We are carrying forward some of the collections our customers loved most, while introducing an entirely new dimension to the shopping experience. I like to think of Coral not as a replacement for Isola Home, but as an evolution of everything we have learned and loved about retail over the years.”

About one month after the fire, she received a call from the landlord of Pearl, a women’s boutique on Centre Street that Lecker operates, about a storefront availability next door to Pearl.

“February was a heartbreaking month for us. On my 65th birthday, we lost Isola Home to a devastating fire. It was absolutely surreal,” she recalls. “In a matter of hours, something we had spent so much time and love creating was gone.  I asked myself, was God trying to tell me it is time to retire?”

But the chance to occupy the retail space next door to Pearl was enticing. Lecker jumped at the chance to add to her collection of boutiques downtown. She also owns  lori+lulu, Pearl and JJ Cooper.

“Suddenly, I got the feeling of divine intervention,” she says. “I'd been asking about this location for at least three years. . . Sometimes, just when you think one chapter has ended, an entirely unexpected opportunity presents itself.”

Opening Coral has taken four months of very long workdays, Lester says. But the enthusiasm clients showed at the store’s opening was rewarding, she says, adding that she is grateful for the community’s support.

“The kindness and compassion shown to us following the fire were overwhelming,” she says. “It reminded us just how special this community is and how fortunate we are to be part of it.”

The opening has revived Lecker’s love for retail, she says.

“Instead of feeling ready to retire, I find myself more excited about retail than I had been in years,” she says. “I suppose that's when I realized something about myself. Retail isn't simply what I do. Creating beautiful stores and sharing beautiful things with people is part of who I am. And apparently, I'm not quite finished yet."