By Aimee Lewis Strain
From its terra cotta floors to its attractive, beamed ceilings, Little Green in downtown Redwood City is packed with an eclectic array of local artisan goods and offers one of the best coffee deals in town.
The brainchild of Sharon Grant and Michael Bell, Little Green opened last June at 1101 Main Street. Grant and Bell met during the pandemic, when Bell was managing S’Bastians Coffee on Woodside Road and Grant was renting artisan space there to sell her handcrafted succulent plants. They became friends and created a vision for Little Green that included not only handmade goods, but also an urban feel for shoppers who could browse, pot a plant and enjoy a 10-ounce cup of coffee for $2.
Beyond featuring Grant’s plants, the establishment offers vintage clothing, lotions, pottery, jewelry and other items. There’s a plant bar in one section and a coffee bar in the other. Grant, a longtime Redwood City resident, says the seemingly unusual combination works in unexpected ways.
“We knew that coffee and plants went well together from our days at S’Bastians, but we wanted to create a place where we could curate other artists and bakers to come in and offer their goods, too,” she says. “This would encourage residents to shop local and also enable us to offer interesting things from different vendors.”
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This story first appeared in the January edition of Climate Magazine
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Grant took up creating succulent centerpieces as a hobby following nearly three decades as an elementary schoolteacher. Soon her new pastime turned into a business venture. She started selling to local grocers such as Dehoff’s Market, Bianchini’s and Draeger’s. She also began teaching classes and eventually landed in the business partnership with Bell, a coffee and music connoisseur.
The plant section welcomes both individuals and groups. Customers can select a container, succulents and various soil toppings such as sand, pebbles, moss and rocks to create personal plant arrangements.
While planting or shopping, patrons hear vintage music playing on vinyl. Bell, with his years of experience at coffee houses, enjoys his simple coffee bar, which offers selections from Red Bay Coffee, an Oakland roastery. He considers his $2 cup of joe “the best coffee deal in town.”
With an abundance of natural light, 16-foot ceilings and more than 2,300-square feet, the location is also available as a meeting spot. The place already has been rented for small-business retreats, brunches and birthday parties. It also presents live music and has a side space for artisans’ popups where local vendors can “pop in” to sell their goods.
With Little Green’s wide assortment of offerings, it will be interesting to see what sprouts in 2023.
More information about Little Green: www.littlegreenplantbar.com.
