A hidden treasure in Wayne A local store sells “fruitful” items

By Melanie Greenberg Staff Writer

A tiny corner shop in Wayne is easy to pass by but The Pear Tree is a shop worth stepping into.

Warm and welcoming are the first words that come to mind.

Deanna Muth, winner of the 2008 Best of Philly award, completely renovated the store and opened in early 2007.

Muth worked for Vanguard before finding her passion for selling meaningful gifts.

Each of her employees is like family and contributes to the shop in different ways.

One of the women is a photographer who sells her art and another woman is an interior decorator.

“If I have to be away from home, I’d like it to feel like home,” Muth said of the homey atmosphere.

The Pear Tree is a shop filled with endless amounts of gifts for every type of person.

Customers could spend hours browsing and still find something new and exciting.

Among some of the items sold are jewelry, many collections made by local jewelry makers, photos, blankets, vases, home décor, novelty shot glasses and the list goes on and on.

Before renovations, the space was in extremely bad shape although a customer would never guess that only four years ago there was barely a floor.

Many of the windows are original pieces from the same time the building was built in 1922. The modern feel mixed with a touch of history makes the store a unique setting.

Each season, the shop is overhauled and redecorated to fit the occasions.

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, candy hearts and the color red are scattered about the store.

Muth opened The Pear Tree after her youngest daughter left for college. She had worked in a shop in Stone Harbor, N.J., while vacationing in the summers.

Muth discovered a passion for helping people find the perfect gift.

“I don’t sell anything I don’t love,” Muth said. “No matter what side of the track people are from, I wanted them to feel joy no matter what they can spend.”

The idea for the name came to Muth in a dream.

“It sounds corny but I envisioned a pear tree one night and had no idea what it meant until we signed the lease,” Muth said.

The shop features a painted pear tree on the wall, done by an artist friend of Muth’s as well as paintings of pears and a poem in the shape of a pear.

Each customer is treated as a friend.

The sense of ease and friendliness Muth exudes makes a customer want to come back even just