Remembering Peter West: March 6, 1968 to January 10, 2025
Peter West
Peter West's passing greatly saddens COUPAR. The beloved showroom owner and friend co-founded HEWN with his husband, Jeff Holt, in 2012. Initially based in the SFDC, the gallery recently moved to Southplace Square South, providing clients a sense of community and a place to shop. Peter's gracious and knowledgeable presence harkened back to the pioneers of San Francisco's multiple-line showrooms. Stepping into HEWN is always a welcoming occasion, from the exquisite display of furnishings to the thoughtful array of snacks. Behind it all, Peter greeted designers, architects, artisans, colleagues, and tradespeople with kindness, generosity, and humor.
Jeff Holt and Peter West in the HEWN Showroom
The Minnesota native honed his design business skills as General Manager for Ted Boerner, Inc. Peter learned the intricacies of custom-made-to-order contemporary furnishings while developing relationships with representative showrooms. He then worked for Jiun Ho in Sales and Production, another San Francisco Bay Area interior and furnishings company. At HEWN, the roles reversed, and Peter now represented manufacturers; with his understanding of the process, he developed a unique methodology to streamline design orders. The business's heart has always been the client experience, from delighting the eye with a carefully curated group of products to shipping completed orders.
Peter West aka Sweetie Pickles
Not that Peter was all business. He channeled his alter ego, Sweetie Pickles, for the SFDC's charitable event, the 4th Annual Design Meets the Divas of Drag. For her dance number, Sweetie chose Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like a Woman! She wore a fit-and-flare couture gown with exaggerated flounce sleeves—the Dorothy Draper-esque floral print in shocking pink with green lining departed from Peter's usually subdued attire. Sweetie finished the ensemble with red curls, dramatic makeup, and sequined stilettos, so it was no wonder she won Miss Congeniality!
We hope you are dancing and making some noise in heaven right now, dear, sweet Peter. We will not forget you.
