LiveWork: The Future Of Living Where You Work And Working Where You Live*
Loveland, Ohio – Brittany Byrd is already living in the second floor of the two-story home at 110 Wall Street next to the Quilters Studio of Loveland (see map below). She is asking the Loveland Planing and Zoning Commission for approval to use the first floor as a floral shop. She also wants to use the lawn in the rear, for workshops and children’s parties.
It’s a growing trend in Loveland and across the country called “LiveWork” – a return to the local “mom and pop” entrepreneurial spirit. Living where you work, a sustainable community movement, that involves no commute time and automobile pollution. You can work 24/7 if needed, to sustain your business.
The 85-year-old building has fallen into disrepair, looking untidy and unkempt. To add curb appeal, Byrd has begun landscaping and pruning. She has plans for more. She’s planted flower beds and hung flowering baskets to enhance the appearance of the charming house in the West Loveland Historic District. She said she wants to, “Spruce it up.” The home has been used as residential rental property in recent years and previously as a dental office.
Byrd said in her application to the commission that she hopes to offer knowledge and resources for customers, “…to improve their life with gardening and healthy eating.” The name of the business will be Homegrown Floral Gifts.
She says she feels a floral shop would fit in with the surrounding businesses. “Wall Street does get a lot of traffic. The high school is just down the road, so for things like homecoming and proms, I’d sell corsages and boutonnieres – just flowers for any occasion really.” She also wants to sell live arrangements for weddings, events, and parties. “We will deliver arrangements we make, or customers will have the option of creating their own.” Wedding guests could take home unique arrangements made by the wedding couple.
“I’d like to have a lot of tea sets that you can put plants into. Homegrown Floral Gifts will offer live centerpieces for your holiday table — a lot of creative options. You can come in and piece together your own creation, and take it home,” Byrd said.
“I also want to dabble with fairy gardens,” Byrd said. “It is really popular right now. There are a lot of different miniature plants that you can incorporate into those with small, little fairy-like figures. You add tiny work benches and mini picnic tables to fit into that little scene. It’s a fun hobby that I want to introduce to my customers.”
Byrd wants to have birthday parties for kids and gardening workshops in the summer. “My sister is a kindergarten teacher. So, in the summer, she would love to help out with that.”
Byrd already feels she is part of the community. She grew up in Morrow, going through the Little Miami School system, and has many friends that have also migrated to Loveland. “I feel like this is close enough to my hometown since the Little Miami District branches down into Loveland.”
The Planning and Zoning Commission meets in early November to discuss her request. The house is already zoned for office and residential use, but she must get permission for her intended, retail sales.
