Stunz grand re-opening lights up ‘Design District’
After more than 40 years on Girard Street, family-owned bed and bath retailer Everett Stunz has changed locations.
Although the big move only placed the luxury bed supplier two buildings away from its old address, the new facility at 7624 Girard Ave. is almost double in size. Owners Nicki and Phil Coller have expanded product lines significantly and will offer tax-free purchases all day Friday and Saturday at the store’s grand re-opening.
“I think it really raises the bar for other business owners on the street,” Christia Gordon, senior publicist for J Public Relations and the store’s marketing specialist, said of the new location. “It really enhances their credibility. Everett Stunz has been around for 40 years and this is just really taking it to the next level.”
The $500,000 expansion has allowed Everett Stunz to morph into a customized department store and has set its signature product, the DUX beds, apart from the rest in a separate section of the showroom.
Lines of fine linen, lingerie, sleepwear and bathroom decor, which the Collers handpick at European textile and linen shows, have all been expanded, according to Gordon. The store also carries its own line of luxury adjustable beds.
A small staff of certified interior designers allows the store to personalize its customer service and help customers find their dream bed or bath retreat.
“Nicki is from South Africa and Phil is from England and they have a very worldly charm to them,” Gordon said. “They want people to come into the store and be able to turn their private rooms into an oasis of relaxation, where you can go as a retreat to get away from the stresses of life.”
Everett Stunz is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, visit www.everettstunz.com.

LJHS student shines in math skills
La Jolla High School student Ben Cosman was among the winners recently chosen when the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) hosted its first greater San Diego High School Honors Statistics Contest.
“I was happy and kind of surprised,” Cosman said after he and James Jester of Francis Parker School shared top honors out of a field of 46 students from nine high schools at the competition.
A collaboration between mathematicians at UCSD and the Greater San Diego Math Council, the contest was held March 3. Winners were celebrated during an awards dinner on March 15 at UCSD following the Kyoto Prize lecture. Both Cosman and Jester received a $500 prize, which was presented by Hirotugu Akaike, a Japanese mathematician and 2006 Kyoto Prize laureate in basic sciences.
“I think what first got me interested was when I did a science fair project last year as an eighth-grader, and I needed to teach myself some statistics because I needed to analyze the data that I had collected,” Cosman said. “Statistics is really fun because it applies to real-world problems.”
For more information, see www.ucsd.edu.

Bishop’s fund-raiser boasts Bond theme
“Secret Agent Knights,” a sleek and sophisticated spin-off of the recent James Bond 007 craze, will be the theme at this year’s 22nd annual dinner dance and auction for the Bishop’s School, scheduled for Saturday, April 21.
The event generates money for the school’s student scholarships and faculty enrichment programs and last year helped raise $2.1 million toward sponsorship for 156 Bishop’s students, according to Suzanne Weiner, the school’s director of public relations.
“This is the only fund-raising event that we hold at the school, which makes it very significant for raising awareness of faculty and student enrichment as well as raising dollars for both programs,” Weiner said.
The evening will feature a cocktail hour, catered by Chef Bernard Guillas of the Marine Room, Jason Knibb of Nine Ten Restaurant and Judd Canepari of La Valencia. Solana Beach’s Pamplemousse Grille will prepare dinner, which will be followed by a silent and live auction.
Fine wines, a trip for two to Italy with a private tour of the Vatican, tickets and backstage passes for The Police concert in Phoenix, and Commissioner’s box tickets for a Padres game are some of the items up for grabs.
About 500 people are expected to attend the event, according to Weiner, who added that the evening will take place on campus under a private illuminated tent starting at 5 p.m. with a private reception. Bidding begins at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $175 per person for dinner and the auction. A $350 ticket entitles individuals to attend the VIP patrons’ reception held at a private La Jolla home.
Online bidding is also offered at the school’s Web site, www.bishops.com, under the Secret Agent Knights icon.
For more information or to reserve seats, visit the Web site or send e-mail to [email protected].