On January 30, Gardens on 35th Street will close its doors after a long and successful run as Austin’s high-end nursery and home furnishings store. Word is that they ran into recession-related troubles and simply couldn’t keep their doors open. I’ve been on their e-mailing list for years, so I’ve been getting the daily updates on the current price-slashing but until today had refrained from making a last visit.
Truth is, I felt like I was attending a funeral, and it sucked. I wandered around, looked at some things and touched some others, and spoke with some of the remaining staff as though it was their wealthy, tasteful aunt who’d died. Gardens had a reputation for being high-end, some would say over-priced, but all would agree on elegant and classy. I never really thought they were over-priced; they offered plants and garden-and-home goods that were difficult to obtain anywhere else around here: clipped topiary, specialty cacti, hand-formed Italian pottery. They had a definite style–an old world European chicness that made you feel surrounded with history and pedigree. Sure, it sometimes attracted the nose-in-the-air crowd, but I always found their staff to be knowledgeable and down-to-earth.
This has been a tough year for most everybody, but particularly those of us with our own businesses. And more specifically, those of us with businesses that cater to the “extras” in life. I don’t know the whole story of Gardens–perhaps their closing is a sign of our troubled financial times, or of poor management, or a combination of both and other factors–we’ll never know. My experience is that we are people who are afraid right now, and we’re holding on to things that make us feel secure and stable. We’re not parting with money as easily as we used to, and the money we are spending is spent more thoughtfully and carefully. I know that my clients think differently than they used to about landscaping and if I’m going to remain successful in my business, I’m going to have to think differently, too.
What I also know is this: Gardens provided Austin with years of class-act landscapes, rooted in sophisticated tradition mixed with Austin funkiness. Some might feel that beauty and art are unnecessary extras, but I believe that the presence of these things in the world around us is excruciatingly important, as it makes it all the more difficult to tolerate violence and ugliness. So thank you, Gardens, for creating beauty in the middle of our weird little city in central Texas–we will miss you.
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This is sad indeed. The nursery I work at was similar in offerings and recently closed. Another in a neighboring town is barely hanging on. I do love the basics, don’t get me wrong. But if closings like this keep up, where will gardeners get the really cool stuff?
I know, I feel the same way, Kat. When I visited Gardens for my clients, I would always treat myself to these wonderful $12 salted caramels from the store and a cool little 4″ succulent from the nursery. It was a special spot among an overabundance of ordinariness.
Nice tome – Jenny. And so true. We do need beautiful places to find unique things — I hope that as this door closes, another will open soon. Makes me want to visit a f ew of my other specialty store favorites — just to spread a little shopping around.
Gardens was one of the first nurseries I shopped at and one of my favorites. I always bought my tomato starts there because they had organic, rare heirloom ones that I couldn’t find anywhere else. I also bought a lot of herbs. I couldn’t afford many of their larger plants or pottery but I did spend quite a bit of money on seeds and on home items.
Gardens was one of my favorite Austin spots to take out-of-town visitors. I’m very sad to see it go. Today, as things are now 75% off I went over to see if a little stone fountain was still there. (It wasn’t.) But I came home with something much more expensive and very impulsive.
It hurt to see the shelves empty. As you say, it felt like a funeral. At least I have several treasured objects to remember it by.
I just ran across this post. Now my heart is heavy. During my 13-year stint in Austin, this became a fave. It was one of the first places went after grad school, when I had a real job (read: real money).
So bummed I didn’t get to say “goodbye.”
Word is that two couples have banded together to buy Gardens! Couples that previously were customers of Gardens and didn’t want to see it close permanently. I don’t know how long it will take them to reopen the store, but it will be interesting to see if there are any major changes! Viva la Gardens!