OUR LAGUNA: A Haworth returns to Laguna shop

On Consignment will celebrate its reopening Saturday under new ownership “” well, not exactly.

Ray and Jackie Haworth opened the shop in 1964 and ran it until 1995. Like its contents, the shop has been resold a couple of times “” most recently, to their son, Tod.

“I remember being in the shop as a young boy and I have always had the dream of owning the same store that I enjoyed as a child,” said Haworth, a native of Laguna.

The path to ownership was roundabout.

Haworth was born in May 1967 at South Coast Medical Center. He and his brother, Ian, were the survivors of quintuplets.

A graduate of Laguna Beach High School in 1986, Haworth attended UC Santa Barbara where he earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1991. He came home to Laguna and worked for his parents until they sold the shop and the whole family moved to Bend, Ore.

While in Oregon, Haworth worked from 1995 to 2002 as a coordinator for Bend recreation programs and from 1999 to 2002 he also evaluated children as a community juvenile justice technician. From 2002 to 2007, he sold furniture.

“I returned to Laguna because I got to buy back the family business,” Haworth said. “We are a very close family. My goal now is to get them all to move back here.”

While he values the traditions of the store, he has plans to expand the services and the inventory.

Free appraisals are being offered.

“Let us help you as a consignor to find out what your item is worth and then get it sold,” Haworth said. “We have great relationships with many local designers who bring their clients to us to complete their décor. These people are ready to buy.”

And, for the first time in the store’s history, new lines of furniture from Stanton and Ashley will be available, online at www.ocfinefurnishings.com.

“We feel these new furniture lines will be a great complement to our consigned items,” Haworth said.

Items priced at more than $200 will be discounted 15% from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The grand reopening party will be tucked in from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. Montage pianist Steve Siu will entertain.

Door prizes include dinners for two at Sapphire, Splashes or Sundried Tomato, and a $250 Montage Resort and Spa gift card.

On Consignment is at 1190 Glenneyre St., caddy-corner from the Old Pottery Place. For more information, call (949) 497-3700.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Authors Judith Freeman, Gina B. Nahai, Amy Wallen and Margo Norris will be the guest speakers at the 21st Annual Literacy Luncheon presented by the Laguna Beach Foundation of the American Assn. of University Women March 22 at the Surf & Sand.

“We are proud to present these four distinguished writers,” said Diane Reed, co-chairwoman of the luncheon. “This is the first time we have had all professors.”

Freeman, an essayist and short story writer “” and now novelist “” is a professor of creative writing at USC.

“The Long Embrace: Raymond Chandler and the Woman He Loved” was published by Pantheon in November 2007. Freeman’s work has been praised for its originality in the New York Times and the New York Review of Books.

Nahai also teaches creative writing at USC. Her novels have been published in 17 languages. Other works have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Magazine and the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Her latest book, “Caspian Rain,” was published in the fall.

Wallen is a professor of creative writing at UC San Diego. She hosts and sits on the advisory board of San Diego Writers Ink. Her most recent published work is “Moon Pies and Movie Stars.”

Norris, a James Joyce scholar and Phi Beta Kappa, teaches English and comparative literature at UCI. She will discuss her work published by Cork University Press in association with the Irish Film Institute.

The luncheon is $65 per person until Saturday, and $75 per person starting Sunday. No reservations will be accepted after Tuesday.

“Know that your presence will be helping to provide fellowships for study in research, selected professions and grants for public service projects, among other worthy community programs for girls and women,” Reed said.

Net proceeds from the Literary Luncheon all go to the AAUW Laguna Beach Foundation “” the nonprofit arm of the AAUW Education Foundation.

“Our speakers are a scholarly group of ladies, and that is related to what the Educational Foundation is all about,” Reed said.

Checks may be made out to AAUW-LBF and mailed to Diane Reed, 439 Los Robles, Laguna Beach, 92651.

For more information, visit www.aauw-lagunabeach.org or call (949) 497-3212.

ALL HEART

The women folk of Laguna’s American Legion Post 222 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5868 sat out part of the annual Valentine’s Day Social at the Veterans Memorial Building on Legion Street.

Legion Commander Bill Sandlin said the male members of the posts prepared the dinner plates and served the women, who took a well earned rest.

“The Women’s Auxiliary worked the majority of the evening, getting everything ready,” Sandlin said. Not to mention cleaning up afterward.

Sandlin gave special thanks to Generalissimo Sandi St. John and to Legionaire Doug Miller and Uncalled Four Barber Shop Quartet who provided entertainment.

K’ya restaurant catered the Italian dinner, and owner Chris Keller endeared himself to St. John and the vets by refusing payment.

Recently wed Legionaire Don Hurlbut and Auxiliary member Madge Sanders were among the guests at the social.

Next up for the auxiliary: On March 22, the members will be stuffing plastic eggs with goodies for the annual Easter Egg Hunt at 1 p.m. the next day at Laguna Beach High School.

Volunteers would be welcomed, either stuffing or at the hunt. Hey, LBHS students, here’s a chance to earn some community service hours.

For more information, call (949) 494-2065.

OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652; hand-deliver to Suite 22 in the Lumberyard, 384 Forest Ave.; call (949) 494-4321 or fax (949) 494-8979.