Laura Murray, State Gardens co-owner, poses with a snowman cookie jar for sale during the holiday season. Photo by Reena Singh.
State Gardens is more than plants, according to co-owner Laura Murray.
The shop is home to hundreds of giftables for any occasion, particularly the holidays.
“We’re expecting the Christmas season to be a big hit,” said Murray. “You’re guaranteed to find a one of a kind piece.”
Both Murray and her fiancé, Ian McKeown, run the former garden center together.
The shop is already being decorated with holiday-themed trimmings, from ornaments to local jams, honey and cider.
The ornaments, which are collected from barn and estate sales from all over the state, are among the most popular items from the shop. With all the holiday parties quickly approaching, Murray said they are perfect items for hostess gifts.
“We sold quite a few ornaments already,” she said. “We also have some really cute burlap sacks to dress gifts up.”
The store also stocks jewelry and scarves year around.
The shop is country chic, as Trina Ocasio, shop designer, says. The inside is a reflection of the village’s rural lifestyle.
As one of the decorators, she helps find the ornaments and other holiday knick knacks to sell.
“We’ve been trying to change up the store as often as we can,” she said. “The ongoing challenge is to keep finding things that are good quality but will also be a good bargain for the customer.”
Another shop designer, Tammy Nisbitt, brings in refurbished and antique furniture.
“It’s a gift shop where people can get all of their holiday items,” she said. “I love that locals keep us in mind for home decor as well as their garden.”
Because the shop is new, many people in the village still do not know about all the things sold inside.
“A lot of people don’t realize we have the store here,” Murray said. “In the spring, we have the flowers out, so a lot of people think of it as a garden center.”
Her plan to get people in the door, however, are the events held in the next several weeks,
On Saturday, Nov. 22 and Dec. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m., the shop will hold an open house where guests can enjoy hot Rinker cider and s’mores over the fire pit and receive 10 percent off home decor items. Visitors will also get to see the trees and creative themed wreaths on sale.
Locals can also participate in the second annual Christmas Tree Decorating Contest for a chance to win $300. Participants need to call the shop by Dec. 1 to be a part of the contest.
As the season gets colder, the back room will turn into Santa’s Workshop, complete with the jolly old man himself.
“It’s not just a business,” said Ocasio. “We have our hearts in it.”
State Gardens is located at 10106 Georgetown Pike, less than a half-mile west of the intersection with Walker Road. More information is available at www.state-gardens.com, and at www.facebook.com/StateGardensLLC.