More evidence that Henderson Avenue is having a resuscitation comes with the opening of Kim Hoegger Home, a new decor and interior design store at 2933 N. Henderson Ave., next door to Sissy's Kitchen.

Designer Kim Hoegger has been in the industry since 1987, with touts from D Magazine, Cottage Style, Dallas Morning News and more. Her business was previously located in a historical building in downtown Rockwall. Foodies might recall her highly rated, now-closed restaurant, French Pear.

"We bought that building in Rockwall and renovated it," she says. "I opened it as an antique store and interior design retail space. After a while, I decided to put in a little café, the French Pear. But it got so big, so fast. It got so big and had such a great reputation that it basically took over."

Hoegger learned first-hand that running a restaurant is a lot of work, and it wasn't even her real love. "It was successful and I was happy with what I did, but I finally closed it in 2007," she says. "People still call me for recipes."

She'd always had her eye on Henderson Avenue, and was quick to grab the former William-Christopher Design location. She describes her style as "modern vintage," and feels right at home next to Sissy's, which has a similar aesthetic.

"It's a casual yet elegant mix of old and new," she says. "I love antiques and I love new, so it's a nice mix. You might see a 1930s Chippendale marble-topped buffet with a contemporary lamp on it. 'Green' is so big right now. It takes that to heart and brings it up to date with new accessories, lighting and artwork, but using the old things that I love."

People who come into her store often exclaim that they could live there. "You can see certain things and not know what to do with it," she says. "When people come in, it's eye-opening. 'Oh, I get it now.' I try to give the context."

There are other vintage-oriented outfits on Henderson such as Brent Laird, but Hoegger says that no two people do the same thing. "There are antique people everywhere and several on this street," she says. "We're all completely different. Our aesthetics are different. But instead of competing, I think we complement."

Her goal is to make people recognize the value of old things. "People are sometimes afraid to have a house where it's not brand new or perfect," she says. "But imperfection is beautiful."

Kim Hoegger Home hosts its grand opening on Wednesday December 4, from 6 to 9 pm.