Live Plants final stretch
Donation protected
Hello! As some of you may know I'm in the midst of opening a plant shop and landscape design studio in South Philly called Live Plants. We found an incredible retail space in Bella Vista that was built in the 1830’s and, at some point during that time, was a bank - Banca Torino. We accepted the retail space “as is,” thinking there were only minor fixes, like painting and cleaning to be done. Naturally, there were some surprises uncovered during the renovation process, (for example, we unearthed the original, beautiful terrazzo floors from the bank and have been restoring it ourselves), which is why we’re here looking for help.
Philadelphia is a founding American city, which, like many American cities today, is struggling to preserve its architectural history. To be able to contribute to the community and restore some of the city’s uncovered treasures is so exciting. That being said, in order to open, we desperately need some additional funds to finish these final and unexpected details.
A brief personal history:
Last year, after finding out I was pregnant with Zidra, I closed up my NYC landscaping business and moved to Philly. My first year was mostly spent adjusting to pregnancy and traveling back and forth to NY to wrap up remaining landscaping projects. Since Zidra’s arrival, it’s been difficult to find a new position in the landscaping and plant world. After an unsuccessful job hunt here in Philadelphia, and a bit of soul searching, I decided that pursuing my dream of having my own shop needed to happen, and happen fast. I am so psyched at the thought of being able to do what I love most and run my own retail space/studio along with my daughter (the manager).
About Live Plants and its home:
Live Plants is located at 807 S 8th Street, a busy street that has been very welcoming to our shop. We are situated in Bella Vista with a variety of goods, cafes, restaurants and the Italian Market in the area, but Live Plants would be the first shop of its kind on the block and in the neighborhood. The space hasn't had a retail business in decades, and we’ve been working day and night to restore the storefront. It’s been great to see everyone peering in as they pass by.
The shop will be modeled after Japanese plant shops in Tokyo and Osaka, and feature interior plants that can thrive in city dwellings. We'll also carry some seasonal plant life, foraged mosses, and cut arrangements from a local flower grower. The rear of the shop will be a small studio to work on landscape projects.
What we encountered:
As with any renovation, we've encountered some issues outside of our original scope. After peeling back the plywood and discovering the terrazzo floors, there was no question we would do our best to salvage them. We've now spent most of our time and money doing that. In order to meet our opening deadline, we need approximately three thousand dollars to get the shop up and running by early September. It’s weird to reach out and ask for help, especially when comparing my needs to much more significant situations around the world, but I wouldn't be here unless it was truly needed. Any amount you can contribute would help make Live Plants a reality.
What we'll be using the funds for:
- floor leveling and refinishing
- unforeseen electrical work and code related repairs, due to floor
- patching holes along baseboard
- fixing leak in ceiling, patching water damage
Thank you friends, family whoever you are - we wouldn’t be able to do it without you!
XOXO,
Julie and Zidra
Philadelphia is a founding American city, which, like many American cities today, is struggling to preserve its architectural history. To be able to contribute to the community and restore some of the city’s uncovered treasures is so exciting. That being said, in order to open, we desperately need some additional funds to finish these final and unexpected details.
A brief personal history:
Last year, after finding out I was pregnant with Zidra, I closed up my NYC landscaping business and moved to Philly. My first year was mostly spent adjusting to pregnancy and traveling back and forth to NY to wrap up remaining landscaping projects. Since Zidra’s arrival, it’s been difficult to find a new position in the landscaping and plant world. After an unsuccessful job hunt here in Philadelphia, and a bit of soul searching, I decided that pursuing my dream of having my own shop needed to happen, and happen fast. I am so psyched at the thought of being able to do what I love most and run my own retail space/studio along with my daughter (the manager).
About Live Plants and its home:
Live Plants is located at 807 S 8th Street, a busy street that has been very welcoming to our shop. We are situated in Bella Vista with a variety of goods, cafes, restaurants and the Italian Market in the area, but Live Plants would be the first shop of its kind on the block and in the neighborhood. The space hasn't had a retail business in decades, and we’ve been working day and night to restore the storefront. It’s been great to see everyone peering in as they pass by.
The shop will be modeled after Japanese plant shops in Tokyo and Osaka, and feature interior plants that can thrive in city dwellings. We'll also carry some seasonal plant life, foraged mosses, and cut arrangements from a local flower grower. The rear of the shop will be a small studio to work on landscape projects.
What we encountered:
As with any renovation, we've encountered some issues outside of our original scope. After peeling back the plywood and discovering the terrazzo floors, there was no question we would do our best to salvage them. We've now spent most of our time and money doing that. In order to meet our opening deadline, we need approximately three thousand dollars to get the shop up and running by early September. It’s weird to reach out and ask for help, especially when comparing my needs to much more significant situations around the world, but I wouldn't be here unless it was truly needed. Any amount you can contribute would help make Live Plants a reality.
What we'll be using the funds for:
- floor leveling and refinishing
- unforeseen electrical work and code related repairs, due to floor
- patching holes along baseboard
- fixing leak in ceiling, patching water damage
Thank you friends, family whoever you are - we wouldn’t be able to do it without you!
XOXO,
Julie and Zidra
Organizer
Julie Czeck
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA