Tell us about TROVE and why you opened the store. I had a long and satisfying career in architecture in my home city of Philadelphia but have always had a passion for art and human-created objects. For me, these items evoke time and place, history, culture, craft, and of course, beauty. I wanted to create a space to share unique and curated pieces somewhere on the east coast. Originally, I thought that place might be Maine, but I couldn’t find a space that fit my needs. A friend recommended I look at the North Shore of Massachusetts. That’s when I found Marblehead, loved it, and bought the building at 96 Washington Street. I spent quite a bit of time renovating the space, then opened TROVE at the end of 2022. In my store, you can buy antiques and garden accents, including beautiful furniture, one-of-a-kind objects, paintings, original art posters, and decorative collectibles.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? The best piece of business advice I received is to follow my own instincts and stay the course with my vision.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead? Marblehead is the perfect combination of both natural and man-made beauty. As a very visually oriented man, I am drawn to the varied pleasures of seeing hidden paths and corners, beaches and coves, and big view vantage points and historic structures with their gardens.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? Folks definitely seem surprised to learn that TROVE is my first such endeavor; that I didn’t move the store from elsewhere and have in fact been practicing architecture all my life until now!
For More Information:
TROVE, Owner Jack Davidson 781-990-1997
96 Washington Street, Marblehead
www.TroveNorthShore.com
Tell us about Marblehead Gardens. I purchased the Marblehead Garden Center in November 2021 from my father, Mark O’Connor, after he decided to retire. He had owned the Marblehead Garden Center since 1986. I decided to update the name to Marblehead Gardens to reflect that we are under new ownership. At Marblehead Gardens we provide a wide range of plant material. Annuals, perennials, trees/shrubs, house plants, tropicals, and vegetables and herbs. We also have our florist Franny McKeever who makes up beautiful arrangements and Mary Landry who oversees our gift shop.
What are some of the changes you have made since purchasing the business? General Manager Zach Phelan-Waters and I have made some new changes to the business. One of the main areas that we’re focusing on is organization. We really want people to come in and find what they’re looking for easily and have an enjoyable shopping experience. Another focus is expanding our selection of Native Plants, so we’ve added a dedicated area just for those types of plants. Native Plants are important for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The native nuts, seeds, and fruits produced by these plants offer essential foods for all forms of wildlife. We have also put a renewed focus on our plant request system. If we don’t have a specific plant in stock that you’re looking for, we will do our best to try to find and order it. We’ve streamlined our system to have a Special Request Book where we take down information and then respond back to the customer if we’re able to order the plant and when it should arrive by.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? My favorite spot in Marblehead is the Hawthorn Pond Conservation area. I grew up down the street on Hawthorn Road and always used to walk my Golden Retriever, Ben, down there. It’s very peaceful and has some great trails to walk along.
What is something people may be surprised to learn about you? Something that people would be surprised to learn about me is that I am part of a candlepin bowling league in Peabody.
For More Information:
Marblehead Gardens
Owner: Ryan O’Connor
164 West Shore Drive, Marblehead
www.marbleheadgardens.com
Tell us about Driftwood Garden Club and how it got started. The Driftwood Garden Club was founded in 1952 as a volunteer, non-profit organization by a group of women in Marblehead who were looking to offer a social service making and delivering floral arrangements to hospitals and dwellers of tenement buildings in Boston. Throughout the ensuing years, the club engaged in many different civic beautification projects including sprucing up Town properties for the Bicentennial in 1976.
What are some of the gardening projects you work on in Marblehead? In 1990, the Abbot Public Library did a building renovation and club members saw an opportunity to create beautiful gardens in what had been a construction debris dump site so the Library grounds became our main civic project. Within the brick walls, the Secret Garden came to life offering a space for quiet retreat and a safe haven for children. Max’s Garden and an aquarium garden followed a few years later bringing much enjoyment to children and their families visiting the Library. In 2018, the Old Marblehead Improvement Association presented the club with an award for “Outstanding Non-Profit Organization” in Marblehead. For over thirty years, the club has continued to renovate, plant and maintain all the outdoor landscaped areas of the library property using funds we raise at our annual Plant Sale in May. While the library is closed during the current renovation project , the club is providing landscaping and garden maintenance help at Farrell Court for the elderly and disabled residents who live there. We also recently planted hundreds of daffodils at Memorial Park.
What are some of the programs and events the Club works on throughout the year? Are there any events coming up soon we should know about? Throughout the months when we cannot work outside, the club offers a wide variety of educational programs presented by garden experts. We also join with the other garden clubs in town to decorate the King Hooper Mansion of the Marblehead Arts Association for the holidays in December. In the summer months , some of our members make floral arrangements for the Marblehead Museum’s Lee Mansion. Before our Plant Sale on May 13 at the Masonic Hall, club members will join in “Dig and Divide” when we take plants from gardens all over town to offer them to the public.
What are the benefits of being a member of Driftwood Garden Club? And how does one become a member? We have a wonderful website people can visit at driftwoodgardenclub.org to learn about all our programs and fun events as well as find information about becoming a member. Member benefits include making many new friends while working together to provide beautification of our town properties. Our popular social events include the annual Cocktail Party with spouses and partners, special workshops to learn flower-arranging and DIY projects and participating in travel opportunities to visit gardens elsewhere. For our 65th and 70th birthdays, the club celebrated with two trips to England to experience stunning gardens and the world famous Chelsea Flower Show.
As the current President, why is the Driftwood Garden Club so important to you? As Historian and current President, I have thoroughly enjoyed my many years in the Driftwood Garden Club. I have learned so much about gardening and environmental issues and made lifelong friends with a love for making the world more beautiful. What better way to enjoy life than getting our hands dirty in the garden, having fun learning about the natural world , socializing with old and new friends while offering service to our beloved community of Marblehead.
For More Information:
Driftwood Garden Club
Current President: Ginny von Rueden
www.driftwoodgardenclub.org
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