The Botanical Bar is preparing for major expansion.
Victoria Beaty has tended the soil of her community through the Botanical Bar for the last four years, first by selling plants at farmers markets in 2020, then at her own brick-and-mortar store, which opened up on College Avenue in 2022. Through the years, Beaty’s mission has been the same: promote self-care through the care of houseplants.
The Botanical Bar is designed to be a welcoming place to shop, pick out a plant and learn to take care of it — after all, the store’s tagline is “Plants are everyday therapy.” Adding even one small plant can change the energy of a space, Beaty said, and taking care of a plant can remind people to take care of themselves.
“Adding greenery to your space is a very easy and inexpensive way to just bring life,” Beaty said. “The whole goal is for you to have something to take care of, so inadvertently, you take care of yourself.”
However, buying the plants is only “one access point” in promoting wellness within her community, Beaty said. So, the Botanical Bar is not just a one-stop-shop for all things houseplants, it is also a safe haven for Black women to engage in horticulture, wellness and fellowship.
Beaty uses the store to host monthly community events, workshops and pop-ups for people to come in and learn about plant care, talk with their peers and just have fun. One of the most popular and requested events since opening has been the Vision Board Workshop, said Ezequiel Barbon, social media and marketing intern for the Botanical Bar.
“A lot of people wanted to do that, so we put it on our social media,” he said. “It sold out the first time, and she (Beaty) had to do a second one just recently because a lot of people just wanted to be more involved.”
Part of the store’s expansion this year includes new events and workshops almost every month, such as the Be Rooted Moms Focus Group and the Galentine’s Day party — where guests can arrange their own bouquet while sipping on custom cocktails.
Beaty is also preparing to launch new community and corporate partnerships, introducing more florals to the store, expanding her line of non-alcoholic products in-store and hosting more food and beverage pop-up, like the Cafe pop-up hosted in January.
However, all these changes and expansions are only “a taste of what is to come,” Beaty said, as she is preparing to take her business to the next level — with an emphasis on the “bar” part of the Botanical Bar.
“We launched a crowdfunding campaign where we’re going to be expanding into a full-service coffee bar and wine bar with the retail components to it,” she said. “We recently did a coffee shop pop-up in the space, so it looks a little different now … just to kind of see how will people receive it.”
The response from the community was overwhelmingly positive and gave her confidence to know she’s taking her business in the right direction, Beaty said. At the end of the day, the Botanical Bar is a business, and Beaty is an entrepreneur tending the soil of a space where Black women are not typically seen.
Horticulture and agriculture are still primarily white-dominated spaces, and though more people of color are making waves, Beaty said navigating these spaces has been challenging the last few years.
“It’s challenging, especially now going into where we’re headed, it feels even more challenging,” she said. “I always believe in creating the things that you want to see, and so I always want to push myself, and I will even when days are hard.”
Though Beaty still has not found the perfect place to “repot” her business, she said ownership is important to her and building her brand for the community. Moving into a space she owns would give Beaty leverage to help other entrepreneurs build their businesses, which benefits everyone.
“She’s (Beaty) always thinking about the community,” Barbon said. “That’s the first thing she’s always talking about, ‘how can this help the community and the plant store at the same time?’”
For more information about The Botanical Bar and upcoming events, visit thebotanicalbarindy.com.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe graduated with a degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and her previous work includes freelancing for Indy Maven, Assistant Arts & Life Editor for The Lantern, and editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Chloe enjoys covering all things arts and culture — from local music, visual art, dance, theater and film, as well as minority-owned businesses. In her free time, Chloe enjoys reading, cooking and keeping her plants alive.
