Children browse holiday books inside The Feathers pop-up on Nov. 25, surrounded by Creative Interiors’ rescued Christmas inventory and vintage-inspired décor. Photo courtesy of Mariah Larios

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - It could almost be considered a Christmas miracle. After a devastating fire on Aug. 26, Creative Interiors in Yuba City is still managing to offer its signature holiday cheer to residents and visitors.

“The community has been so wonderful,” said employee Tracy Stueve as she bundled together packages for incoming customers. “Just today a mother and her daughter bought some stuff and they brought me back some cookies to let us know that the community loves and appreciates us. It really means a lot.”

Creative Interiors, originally located at 654 Plumas Street, has long been a staple of the downtown shopping district. The business, owned by Tiffani Heryford, specializes in interior design, home décor and boutique gift items — striving, as staff say, to offer “something for everyone.”

Young shoppers explore plush toys and Christmas décor on Nov. 25 at Creative Interiors’ temporary pop-up inside The Feathers, where the store has continued its holiday tradition following a downtown fire in August. Photo by Shamaya Sutton

The August fire not only displaced the store but destroyed nearly all of its inventory except for a storage pod filled with newly arrived Christmas merchandise.

“We had drop shipped probably nine pallets worth of inventory starting the first of August,” said employee Shelley Zajackowski. “We usually get stuff throughout the spring and summer, and everything came — Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Thankfully we had a pod in the back for our Christmas stuff that we were able to save what you see on display today.”

After the incident, two local businesses stepped forward to help, offering temporary holiday pop-up locations: The Feathers (formerly Teegarden Event Center) at 731 Plumas St., and Don’s Furniture at 1531 Franklin Road.

“It’s been perfect, and it was really neat too because all the vintage stuff this year really fits here,” Zajackowski said of the pop-up at The Feathers, a historic Victorian home on Plumas Street.

Stueve added, “We complement each other — it’s like it was all meant to be together.”

Seasonal spreads and specialty foods sit on display at The Feathers pop-up on Nov. 25, part of Creative Interiors’ temporary holiday shop following the August fire. Photo by Shamaya Sutton

According to staff, Don Applegarth of Don’s Furniture and Shelley Darrough of The Feathers have been longtime friends and supporters of Heryford. Applegarth went to school with Henryford, and Darrough has long been both a customer and a friend. The current pop-ups have helped bring in foot traffic to both hosts, offering a unique shopping experience even for those who aren’t looking to buy.

“I wandered in here because it looked so cheerful,” said one browser with children in tow. “It’s very cute, and has that Hallmark Christmas feel to it.”

From unique collectible ornaments to handcrafted sauces, jams, plush toys, snow globes and functional kitchen and storage sets, Creative Interiors continues to offer a wide range of holiday favorites and modern amenities. Both pop-up locations will remain open through January. The Feathers pop-up, located at 731 Plumas Street, is open Monday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Don’s Furniture pop-up, located at 1531 Franklin Road, is open Monday–Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

For more information, email [email protected].

Creative Interiors’ holiday merchandise fills a room at The Feathers pop-up on Nov. 25, offering visitors a festive shopping experience despite the store’s displacement after the August fire. Photo by Shamaya Sutton

About the August Fire

Officials reported receiving the call at 10:27 p.m. and arriving on scene at 10:31 p.m., where they found a two-story, multi-occupancy building heavily involved in fire. Crews extinguished the blaze by 11:19 p.m. The structure, an approximately 8,200-square-foot residential-over-retail building constructed in the 1920s, housed Creative Interiors, Panaderia Acambaro GTO (652 Plumas Street), and upstairs living spaces that displaced four residents. No injuries were reported.

Footage from a neighboring business later helped authorities identify a potential arson suspect seen riding a distinctive bicycle. On Sept. 16, the Yuba City Police Department released an image of the person of interest and requested public assistance. Anyone with information is asked to contact Yuba City Police at 530-822-4661.

A Yuba City firefighter works inside the heavily damaged interior of Creative Interiors during the Aug. 26 fire that destroyed most of the store’s inventory and displaced the longtime downtown business. Photo courtesy Yuba City Firefighters