Big changes are ahead for local business owner and creative mind Liz Vayda. After kickstarting her online shop that features interior plants and floral designs more than three years ago, B. Willow will, at last, be hitting the streets of Baltimore.
Vayda was originally looking for work in city sustainability when she stumbled upon the idea of bringing the natural world into people’s lives by using unique, hand-crafted pieces. The inspiration behind B. Willow is to provide meaningful, insightful, and beneficial ways of experiencing nature on a daily basis.
From succulents and cacti to terrariums and air plants, B. Willow has you covered—and they even added florals to the mix.
In addition to providing unique looks to plants, B. Willow often partners with local venues for workshops and private plant-making parties where you learn everything there is to know about your new plant friend. But don’t fret–these workshops will still be around once the retail location opens.
“We will continue to do our workshops and private parties, but they will be at the store much more frequently. We want to try to keep it more affordable and more frequent for the community,” Vayda said. “If you’ve ever wanted to throw a party surrounded by the jungle, this will be pretty close to it.”
The store will open in December at the corner of 27th Street and Cresmont Avenue in Remington, and will provide a build-your-own approach to creating the perfect plant ensemble for your home, complete with decorative materials such as gem shards, crystals, and shells.
If you choose to opt out of the DIY option, you can shop the vast nursery section featuring a variety of tropicals, succulents, cacti, and more, all in hand-made-in-Baltimore vessels, highlighting a variety of materials from local artists like 3angles, Crump & Kwash, pottery by artists of the Potters Guild, New Relic , Slow Down Productions Macrame, and more.
The new space will also feature a variety of local goods from businesses and artists like Priya Means Love all natural body care, Hitch & Timber leather goods, Ann Margaret Ceramics, Kelly Laughlin Marbled Notebooks, Pearlswirl Jewelry, Wight Tea, Novelty Haus t-shirts and toys, just to name a few.
B. Willow prides itself on community involvement and with the help of Whitelock Farm and Art with a Hear, they host non-profit workshops for children and young adults to provide an educational, hands-on, and creative experience. With space in their new location for small to large groups, Vayda plans on hosting a plethora of free, donation-based, or ticketed events ranging from movie nights to educational speakers.
“I truly hope the store creates a place where people have multiple reasons for coming in,” Vayda said.