Downtown Los Banos is filled to the brim with historical scenery and local stores that everyone cannot miss. Nestled in the heart of Los Banos is Fleur De Lis, an oh-so-charming gift shop owned by Leah Costa, a Los Banos High alumni, and kept lively with the help of her daughter, Ava Costa (11), who is currently a student here at LBHS.
As customers are met with a beautiful and inviting atmosphere, they will find a variety of home/holiday decor, bath products, gourmet food products, table linens, tabletop items and now, clothing.
Leah, the owner of Fleur De Lis, has always held a passion for decorating. “At a young age, I loved rearranging my bedroom and trying new styles. Helping my mom decorate for the holidays was always my favorite thing to do.”
After graduating from Los Banos High School in 1999, Leah began working at the Los Banos Drugstore as a pharmacy technician and a buyer for the gift section, which ignited her ambition to someday own her very own gift shop.
“It was so fun looking through all of the catalogs seeing all of the new trends and trying to forecast what the people of Los Banos would want to purchase for themselves or as gifts.” It was here where something amazing began. Eventually, Leah left the drugstore to open her own gift shop, which we all know and love as Fleur De Lis.
Fleur De Lis has been a part of our community since April of 2006. Leah said, “I’ve always been inspired by French things.” In fact, the name of this delightful shop originates in France. The name “Fleur De Lis” means Flower of the Lily in French, a sign of royalty and splendor.
Throughout the years, Leah’s clientele have held a special place in her heart. “One of the best parts of owning Fleur de Lis has been meeting so many amazing people over the last 17 years,” said Leah.
Leah was not alone throughout this entire journey, however. She has always had the helping hand of her daughter, Ava.
“She [Ava] started coming to work with me when she was only one week old. Being my own boss allowed me to bring Ava to work everyday. She basically grew up at the shop. So many of our customers comment that they remember when she was born, taking her first steps and even starting school. They too have watched her grow up.”
Ava helps out her mom at the shop as much as she can. Being a scholar athlete for the tennis team makes it a bit difficult at times, but she always finds the time to help out at Fleur De Lis. She helps out by pricing items, taking photos, talking on the phone, taking pictures, and wrapping gifts, all of which she enjoys to do.
“Growing up at my mom’s shop was really fun! I have a lot of great memories there and it made me and her [Leah] a lot closer,” said Ava.
Similar to her mom, Ava shares an enjoyment for picking out merchandise to sell at the store. “My favorite part is probably looking through catalogs and seeing what we should get in. I really like jewelry and clothes, so I always pick out the best.”
Ava shared an endearing memory with PawPrint, “When I was little and my mom was serving cupcakes for an open house, she told me I couldn’t get anymore so I started asking customers if they could get me one. My mom then asked me where I got another one from and I pointed at the customer who gave it to me. It was just a funny thing to look back on.”
Leah ended her interview on an inspirational note. When asked if she had any words to stay with students who were looking to start a business of their own, Leah said, “If you’re looking into starting a small business, do your research. It takes a lot of time and dedication, but it is so worth it. If you ever have any questions about starting a small business, feel free to contact me!”
Ava ended her interview on an enthusiastic note. “Come check out the shop!!”
Make sure to get on top of your holiday shopping and meet Leah and Ava at Fleur De Lis, located in Downtown Los Banos at 946 Sixth Street.
