An orchid can add a touch of beauty and class to any room, but when displayed in the right setting it can even become a work of art. Examples of such masterpieces abound in Lines Orchids' new retail location at Warehouse Row, which serves as an inspiration for using flowers to better a home aesthetic in a creative way.
The shop is Lines owner Joan McCandless' first foray into the retail sector, who up until now had set her focus on the wholesale market.
Longtime Signal Mountain business Lines Orchids' new retail location in Warehouse Row provides Sarah and Joan McCandless, from left, with the ideal setting to showcase their arrangements for the downtown crowd.Lines produces thousands of orchids each year which have always been available for purchase individually at its Signal Mountain greenhouse.
"Displayed in a portion of our [greenhouse] work area on mint green countertops, we could never [showcase the orchids] in the manner we can do here," said McCandless, referring to the 900-square-foot shop she opened last month in Warehouse Row. "I always thought it was a pretty venue, and we think our aesthetic fits in here."
She said she was encouraged in the venture by owners of other Warehouse Row shops with complementary styles such as Revival and Amanda Pinson Jewelry.
"It's a unique setting to display our merchandise," said McCandless of the revitalized downtown shopping complex. "We had everything here at the store on the mountain, but [our customers] didn't know it was there because of the way it was displayed. We've already had a very positive response."
Customers can now easily pick out plants ideal for holiday entertaining purposes, hostess gifts and guest room accents.
"Orchids are good for people who are hard to buy for," said McCandless.
In addition to orchids of different varieties, Lines' new shop also carries a wider range of containers and vases, garden gifts and accessories, succulents, paper-white bulbs and boxwood wreaths for the holidays.
The Warehouse Row location makes shopping more convenient for customers not on Signal Mountain who have difficulty getting to the greenhouse during the day, as the mountain location is closed on Saturdays.
Assisting with the store's arrangements is Joan's daughter Sarah McCandless, who is taking on a greater role in the family business with the opening of the new store.
"It's in my blood because it's been in the family so long," she said.
She said someone in her family has been producing orchids since 1898, and that degree of experience is what grants Lines the ability to ensure the consistent high level of quality that sets their orchids apart even more than their new setting.