ASHLAND — Iva Hall always wanted to open a shop to sell her floral arrangements and other wares, but the timing never quite worked.
Hall, originally from Nova, went to Akron University and North Central State College before taking a job as a paralegal for about 30 years. Hall’s real passion, though, lay elsewhere.
She took a floral design class for the first time around 35 years ago, and from there, she was hooked.
But Hall had two daughters to raise and a full-time job, so the floral arrangements she called her “therapy” happened as she could do it. She made bouquets and flower boxes for weddings, and created hand-made wreaths.
Last year, though, she started to make more floral arrangements for weddings and hand-made wreaths for Christmas. Her daughters both had full-time jobs, and she wanted to start going part-time at her paralegal gig to dedicate more time to her passion.
She ended up getting more time off than she bargained for when she was laid off.
“It was an eye-opener that I need to do something that brings me joy,” Hall said.
Opening up shop
That layoff sparked Hall to begin looking for a storefront in Ashland. She and her husband drove around town considering spots for about nine months, with plans to find something after the start of 2024.
Her timeline sped up when she found a space at 258 Union St., right across from Joan’s Tavern, in September.
Hall spent about two months finding products to sell and getting ready to set up her new shop, Twisted Ivy. The name came from Hall’s aunt, who used to call her “Sunshine Ivy.”
She said she used to get upset when people messed up her first name and called her “Ivy” instead of “Iva.” When she needed a name for her small business, her daughter suggested embracing it. It stuck.
The shop officially opened on Nov. 20. Hall said she did well her first week, which fell on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.
What does Twisted Ivy sell?
Hall hopes Twisted Ivy will be a place where people can come in and find a gift, greeting card and bag.
“I consider myself a professional gift giver, so I like to help others,” Hall said.
The shop features options for everyone, from candles to cookbooks. There’s a men’s section with socks and sprays and stuffed animals and books for babies, too.
Hall said she tried to stock the shop with items made in the U.S.A., and she also partnered with local businesses and artists to sell their products in her store.
Twisted Ivy sells pottery by Mapleton Local Schools art teacher Matt Kidney; Goldberry coffee; dog catch-all dishes by an artist from Seville; and Essential Blooms skincare, made by a woman in Stow.
It also has wreaths on the walls made by Hall herself. She said those have sold as quickly as they’ve been stocked.
Twisted Ivy features Bourbon Barrel food products. 
Baby items at Twisted Ivy. 
Hall tried to source items from the U.S., including the candles on the shelf. 
An artist from Seville makes the dog catch-all dishes featured on a table in Twisted Ivy. 
Hall said people can take ornaments right off the Christmas trees in the store and buy them. 
Essential Blooms Skincare is made by a woman in Stow, Ohio, and sold at Twisted Ivy. 
A cabinet shows samples of floral arrangements Hall has done for weddings. The center shelf is full of Matt Kidney’s pottery. 
Twisted Ivy sells cookbooks and gift bags. 
Candles and pottery fill the shelves of a cabinet at Twisted Ivy.
“I like that I can help other small businesses keep growing,” Hall said.
She’s looking forward to redecorating the shop for other seasons. Hall also said that starting in January, she plans to open her back workroom for once-a-month classes.
Those classes will rotate between her and a friend.
She said she’ll teach how to make wreaths, her friend will host intermediate level art classes and every third month, there will be a fun option like a charcuterie board workshop.
“I want people to come in here and sit around and joke and have fun and be creative,” Hall said. “That’s how I learned.”
