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It's late September. The day was warm, but there's a crisp edge to the breeze at your back as you walk to the grand opening of Chicory Naturalist's new space, The Classroom. On the right-hand window as you approach you see the same familiar, tufted velvet seating that you've sat on many times, now positioned in the light-filled window with several plants & a bevy of community flyers. You walk through the same door you've always entered for Chicory and find a friendly face welcoming you at the counter. Checking out the revised shop layout, you see naturalist subject area shelves along the white wall as usual, but the green walls in the back are now filled with an expanded selection of games, gifts, hobby books & gear, kits and toys. Glancing behind, you see the front window alcove filled with well-organized books and a little bench to plop down on as you browse.
But before you can get looking at the shop revisions, you feel compelled to explore the most obviously new addition: an open door inviting you through the center wall. As you step into The Classroom, you are greeted first by a brick wall on its way to being filled with exhibits. Zoe Keller's monumental Biodiversity of Zena Woods print graces the center of the space. Other parts are peppered with framed specimens, geologic maps, botanical artwork, and more - all lovingly labeled for educational impact. At child-height you see a couple hands-on exhibits already set up. What else is coming, you wonder?
Glancing to the window on the right you see the new community space, much as you remember it from before but with a few additions: a coffee table big enough for a puzzle, new shelves for zines to browse, more toys and board games to share. On the wall above some comfy seating hang many pockets filled with tri-folds and rack cards to take, highlighting all the region's naturalist societies, community science initiatives, parks and conservation centers. Above those is a large board with a calendar's grid on it - you stop to scope all the community events coming up in October. That author event looks exciting, you think - wonder what kind of workshops will be coming up in the new year?
To the left, you see the long, sturdy wooden tables that only came out (to slightly claustrophobic effect) for special events before. They now run long-wise down the room quite comfortably, and you stop to say hi to a friend sampling some snacks. Turning to the center wall you clock the new art exhibit and pause to take in each piece. When you make it to the end of the wall, you see the beginnings of some other event infrastructure being gathered in the corner, a projector and screen among them. Lastly, poking your head into the back area, you blink in surprise: a whole store room and office! Now that you think back, you realize you didn't see even one cardboard box behind the counter when you came in...No wonder the person who greeted you was smiling. :)
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