Right in the middle of West Asheville's bustling Haywood Road corridor lies the historic Drygoods Building, which houses the magical shop known as Garden Party. The bright space is filled with "elevated objects for the aesthetically inclined" and is run by two sweet folks named Tarleton and Seth. We got to speak with Tarleton about how the shop came to be, her personal favorite products, and a whole lot more. Read the full thing after the jump!
Tell us about who you are and what you do.
My name is Tarleton and I own a lifestyle boutique (Garden Party) with my partner in life and business, Seth. Our shop is in West Asheville, and our primary focus is wellness through the normalization and advocacy of using the cannabis plant in our everyday lives. For those of us in North Carolina, that means we're talking about CBD, of course. We also sell a line of carefully curated goods that include candles, incense, art books, jewelry, and the like.
When did you hatch the idea of starting Garden Party?
I first started using CBD when I met Seth (my one and only Tinder date). He was working for a topical hemp company in town, and would let me try samples of their products. I immediately noticed a difference in my stress and anxiety levels, and began sharing it with my friends. I've always been turned off by the stereotypical "bro" aspects that often accompany the cannabis experience, though, and felt like we could fill a niche in Asheville that didn't yet exist. In legal states, there are so many companies owned and operated by women in the industry, and it's so exciting to see that people do value quality, want to talk about equity in the cannabis space, and maintain transparency about the products they sell.
How would you describe the vibe of the shop?
I love California and try to visit as often as I can, and so a lot of our shop's inspiration comes from west coast dispensaries and companies that we love and admire. Although there are modern aspects to the design, I also hope that it feels as warm and inviting as when you visit my home. I want it to feel as if you're stepping inside my living room, and we're just hanging out like old friends. We also have a lot of plants mixed in among the products we carry, along with a custom mural made by Clare Beumer. We also have a pretty killer rope installation that our studiomate Brandon Pass came up with. Our friends Karie and Rob at Shelter Collective were essential in translating all of my ideas into what we feel is an aesthetically pleasing and pretty welcoming, comfortable place.
Do you have a personal favorite product?
This is probably the hardest question for me to answer! I love sourcing new products to carry, and do all of the buying and merchandising so I have a pretty intimate vibe going with the things we have. I'm really into Rosebud CBD + Lauren's All Purpose collab salve--the texture alone is to die for and the fact that it contains full spectrum hemp is even better. I also adore the Summerland Ceramics water pipes we carry, the creme de la creme of bongs if you must know.
In another life, if you weren’t running one of the coolest lil shops in town, what do you think you’d be doing?
So hard to say! My career path has always revolved around retail in some way or another, but I've always been decent at interior styling. I used to manage an antique shop in town and sold my own mid-century and vintage finds. I'm not a hoarder by any means, but I did amass a cool collection of furniture and housewares during that time and thinking about interior spaces is my favorite hobby. I can't answer for Seth, but I have a pretty good idea that his answer is "sailing."
What’s one of the biggest things you’ve learned since opening Garden Party?
I've finally learned how to reload our pricing gun. JK, but that was actually hard. Owning a business is already an ongoing, interesting challenge, and even more so when there's a pandemic going down. But I am learning to roll with the punches in a healthier way, and ultimately know I have no control over anything other than myself and how I respond to the things that steadily pop up and present new challenges. It's still a work in progress, though.
If you could have any person (living or dead) come help out at the shop for the day who would it be?
Peggy Guggenheim, Iris Apfel, or Diana Vreeland. Those three are legendary for having been (or currently still in Iris's case) adventurous, creatively driven women all with their own special eccentricities. Oh and they all have/had impeccable taste, whether it be in what art they bought, how well they accessorize, or how amazingly red their living room was (respectively, ha). I am not in a hurry, but I definitely aspire to be a sophisticatedly odd old lady with big glasses with toile wallpapered closets and a penchant for collecting ginger jars.
Music you've been listening to lately?
Aretha Franklin has been in heavy rotation lately, along with Waxahatchee's latest release. My friend Alexis also just made a playlist for working from home, while in your bed. I always discover a new artist or song I've never heard before on her playlists.
Favorite food spot in Asheville?
If it's a date night and we're feeling fancy I like Bull & Beggar, Admiral, or Cucina 24. Otherwise, Gan Shan West, Simple, and Chai Pani are staples.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Thank you for asking us to be part of this! It was a fun distraction during these uncertain times:)
Follow Garden Party on Instagram (@gardenpartyavl) | www.shopgardenparty.com