Less than a month after Annie’s Annuals and Perennials in North Richmond was suddenly closed, the popular garden store is preparing to reopen as two separate businesses with new owners.
Former Annie’s manager Colleen Wheeler bought the retail and wholesale business, which she’ll operate from the same site at 740 Market St. starting Nov. 2.
The Annie’s name, website, and catalog were purchased by Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply, which runs GrowOrganic, a web-based organic seed, edible plant, and gardening supply business that has a retail store in Grass Valley. The former Annie’s physical store will become Curious Flora Nursery.
Wheeler told Richmondside she aims to run the nursery similarly to how it has been run in its more than 20-year history in Richmond.
After opening to retail customers in about a week, Wheeler plans to begin wholesale operations “maybe a heartbeat later.” Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden plans to launch its Annie’s online sales before spring 2025.
“Much of it is going to be the same, we’ll still have the beautiful gardens,” Wheeler said.
“We have every expectation that we’ll grow many, if not more really cool and unique plants as we ever had. We want to stay true to the roots of this place.”
As Curious Flora, the nursery will continue to offer a vast variety of plants and seeds, as well as educational programs, Wheeler said. This includes the plants left from the original Annie’s, which, she said, have been watered and cared for since the nursery’s Oct. 3 shutdown, as well as “mother” plants, used for cultivation, including of rare species.
The closure earlier this month shocked employees, who told Richmondside they were given almost no notice, and longtime customers from all over the Bay Area and beyond, many of whom were left holding gift cards that the owner Sarah Hundley Garcia, who said she was closing due to “health and business-related reasons,” said wouldn’t be honored.
Wheeler said the purchase included, “Everything we need to carry on with the work that has been done here.” This includes taking over the property lease.
She said she’s thrilled to carry on Annie’s legacy.
“What struck me when I first came here was the culture of the place. It felt like a family,” said Wheeler, who worked at Annie’s for two years before it was shuttered but has more than two decades of experience as a horticulturist having worked in nurseries, gardens, and farms.
“It was really something unique and special that I’ve never experienced anywhere else before. It felt impossible to walk away from that,” she said.
“I’ve been working with plants for 20 years, and I never tire of it, it always feels fresh and exciting and there’s always something to discover.”
Wheeler said she and her mother, Penny Orland, also an avid gardener living in Southern California, bought their piece of Annie’s together. The purchase was through a receiver at B. Riley, the company that the former owner used to liquidate the business. She didn’t share details of the sale price but called it fair.
Wheeler said she has never owned a business before, though she’s managed nurseries.
“Any venture like this is a little scary, but you’ve got to try, right?,” she said.
“You find a place you want to be at for a really long time, spending time with people you want to be with, doing things with you’re all good at, you’ve got to try.”
For now, she said, she’s hired some but not all of Annie’s former employees, because without the mail order piece, the business will be smaller. She plans to start with about 15 employees.
Wheeler added that she wouldn’t have considered the purchase without the partnership of her former Annie’s coworkers, some of whom have worked there since it came to Richmond in 2001. “Anything that’s out in that space and living and flourishing has come under their eye,” she said, adding that many workers live nearby.
If social media is any indication, the reaction of former Annie’s customers is overwhelmingly positive, with Curious Flora’s Facebook page already attracting 1,000 followers and more than 800 likes and its Instagram page earning more than 1,500 likes. One Facebook fan said: “YAY!!! Such amazing news!! Can’t wait to visit the nursery when you open Annie’s has been my favorite nursery since the first visit and such a special place for so many people – I’m SO thrilled that this is happening and the legacy will continue! Congratulations!!!
New Annie’s online owners to sell ‘iconic’ unique native, annuals and perennials
Jill Hageman, who co- owns Peaceful Valley Farms with her husband Bill Hageman, said in a blog post on the Annie’s website:
“Annie’s Annuals has always held a special place in the hearts of gardeners as the vibrant, eclectic home of rare and heirloom plants. For years, it has cultivated a sense of discovery for gardening enthusiasts, offering plants that celebrate California’s rich horticultural heritage.
“Our vision is to honor that connection by ensuring customers continue to access the unique native, annual, and perennial plants that have made Annie’s an iconic name. We are committed to quality plants, biodiversity, and sustainability.”
While the new owners won’t be able to honor the Annie’s gift cards, Bill Hageman told Richmondside they will do all they can to recognize the brand’s loyal customer base.
“We are planning to offer special discounts to former customers of the prior company. These discounts are one way we hope to bridge the transition between owners and bring value to you in the future,” he said.
He said the new Annie’s under Peaceful Valley will sell Curious Flora plants, linking the two business entities.
“We’ve enjoyed getting to know the team at Curious Flora,” Hageman said. “They are passionate, fun and talented plant people! We’re very excited about working with them to supply Annie’s plants going forward.”
Wheeler said she hopes she gets a chance to speak with Annie Hayes, who founded the beloved nursery in Berkeley in the 1980s, who she’s never met but would be “pretty starstruck” by. Hayes hasn’t commented publicly on the store’s shutdown.
She said Hundley, Annie’s most recent owner, wished her well.
But where did that cow disappear to?
Among the heartbreaks of former Annie’s customers and employees during the closure was the disappearance of a large black and white cow sculpture, which greeted customers inside the front entrance. The cow was often decorated with flowers, or funny hats.
When Annie’s closed, the large cow mysteriously disappeared.
“We’re really hoping the cow makes a return,” Wheeler said.
“I’ve put out word that the cow needs to come home. No questions asked. We’ll throw down a path of petals and march it through those front gates.”
Yaaaaaaay!!!! Best news we could hear! May even be there when Annie’s- I mean Curious Flora opens its gates again! 🥳🥳🥳