WEST LOOP — Asrai Backyard, a beloved Chicago flower boutique that closed final 12 months, is coming again for a two-day Valentine’s Day pop-up within the West Loop.
Asrai Backyard, based by Elizabeth Cronin in 1999, bought bouquets and preparations along with distinctive jewellery and residential decor. Cronin ran two boutiques in Chicago earlier than closing final 12 months, citing lingering challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asrai Backyard will make its pop-up return Feb. 13-14 at Third Season, positioned inside The Roof Crop and Maxwells Buying and selling’s shared retail area at 1516 W. Carroll Ave. Third Season is an apothecary and design retailer operated by The Roof Crop that sells handmade and grown items.
Asrai Backyard is providing hand-tied bouquets out there for preorder by way of Feb. 7, for pickup on the pop-up. Commonplace and huge sizes are bought out, however deluxe bouquets for $350 are nonetheless out there on the Third Season web site.
Cronin instructed Block Membership she hadn’t deliberate on doing pop-ups in Chicago till Tracy Boychuk, founding father of The Roof Crop, prolonged an invite.
“Not solely is she a pricey buddy and colleague however … I simply assume [The Roof Crop] is probably the most wonderful factor taking place in Chicago proper now,” Cronin mentioned.
Third Season and Asrai additionally partnered to create a candle, out there for $45 with notes of darkish rose, heat spices and woody aromas. Proceeds from candle gross sales will profit The Roof Crop Basis.
Cronin is bringing again her store’s earlier best-selling incense, plus specifically curated jewellery. Featured jewellery items embody sapphire rings and necklaces from a earlier Asrai Backyard collaboration with Dallas Maynard Jewellery, sterling silver items from Seatle-based jeweler FARIS and the Laura Lombardi silver coronary heart necklace.
The pop-up can even characteristic handmade leather-based items by Animal Handmade and wool blankets and scarves from Wallace + Sewell, a London-based design home.
Although one other Asrai storefront is just not within the works, Cronin mentioned she could host extra pop-ups.
“Tracy and I even have many issues within the pipeline collectively … so I may see extra Asrai pop-ups at The Roof Crop for particular events,” Cronin mentioned.
The Asrai Valentine’s Day Pop is 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 13-14 at 1516 W. Carroll Ave.
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