New Block in Old Town, Same Boxwood
Some of you have heard, but for those who haven’t, Boxwood has moved! We are excited to have found a new space for us to grow on Upper King Street. But as we leave our cherished spot on Royal Street, our hearts are filled with mixed emotions. Boxwood, our sweet little haven, full of fond memories, has been our home on Royal Street for five years. All those who work at Boxwood, neighbors and YOU, our customers, have been such a large part of our everyday lives, creating memories that will be treasured forever. When Boxwood opened in 2019, I thought we would cater to a lot of tourists visiting Alexandria, but it’s the locals. Little did we know the impact our neighbors and surrounding business would have on us, both inside the store and outside.
When the pandemic hit, we had to move Boxwood outside “Under the Boxwood Tent.” Remember that? We hosted all kinds of workshops and shopping events under that tent that had a mind of its own whenever the wind, snow, or rain came through. From the lawyers next door rushing over to help us secure the tent against the winds to our landlord calling us at 7am to share the firemen from the station around the corner just chased our tent down Royal Street — there was never a dull moment. It was our neighbors who helped make our tent journey possible, and it became a symbol of our resilience during the pandemic years. It brought people together, kept us in business, and showed us the strength of our community.
Our heartfelt connections go beyond Royal Street and to 1022 N. Henry St - our storage unit. While it doesn’t seem like something to get overly sentimental about, the staff at Extra Space Storage have supported us for five years. They’ve witnessed our seasonal rituals of piling holiday merchandise into the hallways to unpack and price and the constant hustle, laughter, and excitement we carried with us as we moved the store to-and-from that unit. The manager at Extra Space Storage helped and supported us every step of the way, year after year.
With gratitude, and a few tears, I hugged her good-bye last week. It’s now time for our storage to be located in our new store because we will have room for it all. Like the tent, the store manager was a reminder of the relationships, the support, and the countless shared moments we’ve been lucky to experience having Boxwood on Royal. And now, we couldn’t be more excited to share that our neighbor, Old Town Books, will be expanding their business into our space making this move a win/win for everybody. A true testament to the spirit of our community and growth.
I must admit, we did momentarily consider closing Boxwood permanently, especially after the loss of my mother this past fall. This is when I felt the strongest heartfelt connections to our support network of our customers. Everyone here at Boxwood leaned into your warmth and support. Your enthusiastic expressions of appreciation for our store. Your “I love this store” moments became our guiding light. That’s when we realized we will stay in business because this change isn’t just about location, it’s about resilience, community and friendships.
Earlier this month, one of those moments unfolded as I was handed the keys to our new location on King Street. Trains held a special place in my mother’s heart; the sound of one connected my mother to her own father who worked on the railroads. As I stood alone in the new space, holding the new key, I heard the rumble of a train from the King Street station that is now closer to our store. In that instant, I felt an assurance that our new home on King Street is the perfect move for Boxwood.
As we bid farewell to charming Royal Street, we know the essence of Boxwood, of what we’ve built, the merchandise, the workshops, the memories, and friendships will remain. We look forward to creating new joy at 1205 King Street and seeing you here in early May!
After we officially open on Friday, May 3, we will celebrate the Grand Opening the first weekend of June! Follow us at @boxwoodoldtown for fun announcements, new products, opening-day specials, and more.