Carver Junk Company and the DIY Succulent Planter Bar

According to Katie Slick, the general manager of Carver Junk Company, the 3rd annual DIY Succulent Planter Bar at the Minneapolis location is slated to be “six days of pure plant madness.” Last year, Carver’s event sold a show-stopping 4,000 plants, compared to the previous year’s 500.

At the succulent planter bar, customers can choose among dozens of different kinds of succulents with names ranging from “baby toes” to “key lime pie.” Soil, stones, and accessories are provided to finish the planting process in customers’ choice of unique pot. Since there are so many unforgettable products and plants at the event, Slick says she has to practice self restraint not to buy everything herself. Examples of unique pots include my own selections at the Succulent Bar last year: a stout little mustard yellow teapot, and an ivory ceramic ice cream cone for my friend.

Fun pots like these are provided by local vendors for the event, but Slick works with about 10-12 local vendors throughout the year to have a constant stream of vintage furniture, home decor, apparel, and jewelry in store. She loves coordinating with locals because it supports the store’s neighbors (literally—one of the vendors lives right around the block).

Slick has been the general manager of Carver Junk Company for the past three years, since shortly after the Minneapolis location opened. She worked at a large furniture store previously, and loves working at a small business because of the unique furniture they are able to offer and the relationships she cultivates with vendors and regular customers. “I’ve had a lot of the same customers, and you pick up where you left off every time.” She even remembers the little yellow teapot that I adopted last year.

In addition to Carver Junk Company’s unique selection of products and the DIY Succulent Planter Bar, the store puts on other events throughout the year such as the DIY Pom Garland Bar and CJC at Home, where they stage an entire new build home and everything is for sale. The Chaska location of CJC offers instructor-led workshops year round. Both locations offer furniture-painting services for customers’ furniture if it needs a little retouching.

 

The DIY Succulent Planter Bar runs from March 13-18 during store hours. Go next week for the succulents, but return for the furniture and a small business experience you won’t get anywhere else.

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