New Shop Offers Items for Every Occasion
Writer / Suzanne Huntzinger
Photographer / Amy Payne
Plenty Lifestyle opened its doors in June, inviting customers to do much more than just browse offerings from the newest artisans.
The shop is filled with products for your home and lifestyle, like furniture and artwork, botanicals, apparel and jewelry and a wide array of gifts for living an abundant life. Walking in to the store, immediately your senses begin working overtime. Starting with the beautiful paintings on the wall, the scent of fragrant candles burning, soft music playing in the background and soft crocheted blankets to touch.
Owner Alyssa Norwalk originally considered offering her products online, but she admits there’s a reason why she chose to offer her products in a brick and mortar store instead.
“Our focus is on the sensory components, appealing to all of the senses,” Norwalk says. “We want you to come in, escape into the experience and visualize what you want in your home. We hope you leave feeling better than you did when you walked in.”
Norwalk’s new shop has been a way for her to pursue her passion and purpose after being away from the retail store environment for many years. Growing up in Indianapolis, she spent many hours working at her mother’s store, Tarkington Tweed. Later, Norwalk went on to run Gingko, a gift store which she ran with partners. After the store closed in 2008, she moved away from Indianapolis and the retail business.
But a recent divorce brought her back to Indy in the Zionsville community. Suddenly a single mom with four kids, Norwalk was ready to reinvent herself. She never lost her passion or her dream. So, she dove in and pursued every avenue to make opening her store a reality.
Naming the store was part of the process. She remembered a dream she had when she closed her shop in 2008. She dreamed she would open a new store one day and call it Plenty.
Opening the store meant more than fulfilling Norwalk’s dream. Something more important became the driving force.
“I did this for my kids,” she says. “I want to show them anything is possible. I just want to be the best mom I can be.”
She succeeded in proving herself to be the best mom. After opening the store when Norwalk was fighting a debilitating battle with Hashimoto’s disease (a disease that affects the thyroid), her oldest daughter wrote a heartfelt letter to her mother in which she expressed her pride in her mother’s accomplishments and her gratitude for raising her to be fiercely independent. The letter meant so much to Norwalk, she called upon one of her artisans to enlarge it and frame it. It hangs in the back of the store, creating quite a conversation piece, evoking plenty of emotion.
Norwalk is doing more than filling her shop with conversation pieces and other cool gifts. She’s supporting local artisans, helping promote their work. Norwalk personally scouts the local artisans and becomes friends with them. Eighty percent of the products featured are from these local artisans. Some of them are just starting out.
“It’s a win-win. We’re helping each other succeed,” she says.
Some of the artisans featured in Plenty include Salame Jewelry Designs, Brian Synder of Brian’s Boards, paintings by Beth Clary Schwier (who was featured on hit HGTV show “Good Bones”), Angie Wendricks of Country Road Living, bags, scarves and pillows by Anne Cleary, AMF Studio by Allison Ford, Soak Your Soul by Melyssa Burris, Leslie Saligoe Botanicals, and jewelry by Sara B., just to name a few.
Scouting new artisans is just one of Norwalk’s talents. She has always had a talent for curating the perfect gift for any person and occasion.
“I’ve always been an intuitive gift giver,” Norwalk says. “I love to curate gifts.”
Her talent got noticed by a famous Shaman connected with many celebrities. Norwalk’s Instagram posts caught the Shaman’s attention, and he sought her out to put together some special gifts.
“I reached out to some artisans who I thought would be a perfect fit, and they created some really special things,” Norwalk says.
Something else special to Norwalk and Plenty is charities.
“Plenty always wants to give back to our community,” Norwalk says.
Plenty proudly features the works of ArtMix, a charitable organization that enhances the lives of disabled children through the arts. Norwalk also supports the Hope Center, an organization devoted to ending human trafficking. The cause became very personal to Norwalk after traveling to India on a mission trip to support those affected by human trafficking.
Norwalk hosts events at Plenty every two weeks where current and new artisans can feature their items and customers can meet the artists in person. For some of the artisans, Plenty’s events are the first opportunity to show off their works. One upcoming event will be specifically for ArtMix. The fundraiser will be held Thursday, Feb. 8 at Plenty. In addition to the events, Norwalk plans to host workshops and classes to inform and inspire people through art.
Stop in Plenty Lifestyle today on 54th street in Broad Ripple’s Monon Station to find the perfect gift for that special person. Check out Plenty Lifestyle’s website plentylifestyle.com, their Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest information on upcoming events and products.
