08/17/2026
Feeling nostalgic!
Today / two years ago.
I started Thistle & Poppy in 2022 as a side hustle, selling mostly vintage and secondhand kids clothes online, with the occasional pop-up. In 2024, I felt an urge to open a by-appointment-only showroom where my sweet local customers could shop in person.
A random Craigslist scroll two summers ago led me to our current space here on 15th Ave E — a block so many of us have tender feelings toward (myself included! so much nostalgia). I toured it on a whim. It was Rudy’s... moody, dark and cool, with patina floors and so much potential. I decided to do something bananas and sign a commercial lease, agh!! But the space was slated for redevelopment, and the short-term commitment felt right.
Friends! Here we are two years later, having grown in ways I never could have imagined.
We have a dream team of five extremely lovely humans I get to work alongside. Neighbors meet one another in the shop and make connections and friendships. We’ve seen customers through pregnancies and gotten to meet (and sometimes hold!) their babies. Visiting grandparents bring in their grandkids as tradition. Regular toddlers ride our Lowly worm. We’ve supported independent radio (shoutout KEXP), local and global nonprofits, made wonderful friendships with fellow small businesses, and get to work with the most fun brands and fill the shop with their cool designs.
Now, almost two years in, we’re cooking up what comes next... still looking for our next location, and full of ideas for how Thistle & Poppy can become even more of a gathering place.
I can get so bogged down in the day-to-day slog of running a small business that I lose perspective... but sometimes I catch a glimpse of how far this shop has come, and I’m real proud.
I feel deeply honored and humbled by this community and all the ways you’ve supported us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. We love you!
Two-year birthday party coming in early November. Details soon! 🎂
Follow your whims.
Thanks for being here 💚 Cat
Photos by Ellie Lillstrom Photography, April 2026 📷
