Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather McCloud.
Hi Heather, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Arizona and grew up mostly here in Ohio. I have lived back and forth between the Southwest and the Midwest throughout my life. I love Columbus but have always had a deep attachment to the desert and a passion for plants. I left my rigorous corporate job three years ago to create an Arizona-inspired brand that helps bring the healing and vibrant energy of the desert to Ohio.
The Brass Hand is an experiential plant, gift, and vintage home decor shop. We have over 25 local Ohio makers represented in the shop, vintage home decor, and a one-of-a-kind plant atrium where guests can create their own unique plant arrangements.
I started the brand in 2020, selling vintage goods on Instagram. My Instagram gained enough interest that I moved my operations into a small studio in the Olde Towne East neighborhood of downtown Columbus. This was during the pandemic, so I hosted private shopping appointments on weekends. The studio appointments ended up selling out every weekend, so I went on a hunt for a brick-and-mortar space.
I got very lucky one day visiting a local shop in Clintonville called Rock Candy. Babs, the owner, said she was moving into a bigger space a couple of doors down and asked me if I wanted to take on her space. Her space at the time was a little too small for what I had in mind, but as luck would have it, there was another vacant space on the block that I stumbled upon as I was leaving. I swear it felt like fate. This was a busy and thriving block on N High St, just north of the OSU campus. I had no idea how no one had snatched this space up yet. But I got the space and immediately started work on turning what was once a piano studio into a little slice of Sedona. We started renovations in early 2021 and our grand opening was August 2021.
I travel to Arizona every few months to source cacti directly from a family-owned farm just north of Phoenix where I am from! I drive them all the way home in my truck. Usually 20-30 plants at a time! I love having authentically Arizona-grown plants in the shop.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a retail shop, self-funded, in a pandemic, as a woman and a mother of two little kids, I definitely faced struggles.
I faced the challenge of creating a balance between being a mother and growing a small business. We grew so rapidly on social media that managing our Instagram page became a full-time job on its own, while I was also managing the construction of the shop, doing pop-up markets around town, networking with other small businesses, hiring staff, buying inventory, and making sure I was finding time for my kids. There were definitely times when I felt like I was failing at all things. But luckily, I prioritized building relationships with such a supportive group of other small business owners that became my close friends, and I managed to balance it all with their help. Looking back, it was the hardest time, but also when I built the deepest connections that have helped carry me over the last year.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I hand-pick all of the goods we carry in the shop. I consider curation and designing the shop space an art form in itself. My goal with The Brass Hand is to transport you to the desert every time you walk in the door. I try to consider every sense when designing the shop merchandising. We want it to feel like a vacation – from the fragrance in the air to the slightly warm and dry temperature (“it’s a dry heat!”), to the thousands of exotic plants all around you. We have created an energy that will calm and relax you.
We specialize in vintage home decor, sustainable gifts, locally made goods, and desert plants, like cacti and succulents. Our plant potting room is truly unique. It was built as sustainably as possible – we use a 100+-year-old antique work table, antique arched wooden windows and doors, and terracotta tile straight from Oaxaca, Mexico. This space is where guests have all the tools, they need to create custom plant arrangements. We have hand-blended soil made with sand straight from Arizona. Guests simply pick out their plants, find a pot, and we walk you through the fun process of arranging your new plants. We have a full cactus charm bar where guests can customize their arrangements with desert clay and little decorative objects. It is easy and fun, and playing in the dirt is such a positive mental health activity. Whether you do it with friends or just come in to treat yourself. Guests can pot plants anytime during business hours or can book private plant potting parties.
I think I am most proud of the way the shop makes people feel. Guests often tell us how the shop makes them feel relaxed, and that they learn so much about plants when they visit. We also represent a wide variety of artists and makers, so guests can feel assured that they are supporting our community when they shop with us.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Some of my favorite memories from childhood are visiting my great-grandmother in San Antonio. Roaming the River Walk, seeing all the street vendors, and eating pan dulce and fresh tortillas. But also I will forever love memories of going to Buckeye games in here in Ohio. I look forward to the spring game every year!
Pricing:
- Potting your own plant arrangement starts at only $10!
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@shopthebrasshand.com
- Website: ShopTheBrassHand.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/the.brass.hand
Image Credits
Heather McCloud
