Strolling through Oak Park, it’s easy to see how the blending of nature, design, art and small businesses gives the village its distinct aesthetic.
So when Oak Park resident Emily Neumann was on the hunt for the ideal location to open a brick-and-mortar plant workshop and gift shop specializing in earth-friendly goods, planting her business’ roots in the village was the most natural choice.
Nestled in a small building in the village’s historic Pleasant District, EcoWilde, located at 1046 Pleasant St., has called Oak Park home since February, selling flowers, houseplants and one-of-a-kind botanic-themed gifts.
From flowers grown in Oak Park and blooms sourced from independent Midwestern farms, to unique houseplants and gifts made by local artists, Neumann describes EcoWilde as the ideal sustainable alternative for shoppers looking for curated finds while bypassing the heavy ecological impact that often comes from shopping at big box stores or ordering imported plants.
“Oak Park has such a strong rewilding movement, and so many people here are genuinely passionate about plants and nature — I’m one of them,” Neumann said. “Opening this space felt like a natural way to expand that part of EcoWilde and connect with friends and neighbors who share the same passion, and to offer more people opportunities to connect with nature and art.”
Alongside in-store sales, EcoWilde specializes in decorating for interior spaces and weddings, and candle refilling and delivery — specifically, through a service called “recandling,” in which Neumann collects and refills candle vessels, giving their original containers a second life.
“At the heart of it all, EcoWilde is a place to connect with nature and art, and to be part of something that existed long before us and will carry on after us,” they said.
EcoWilde’s public-facing storefront is new, but Neumann’s business actually stretches back to 2018 when she first started the business out of their apartment — right down the block from where the business is today.
In between then and establishing the Oak Park storefront, Neumann also operated a production studio on Elgin Avenue in Forest Park, where they handled large event orders and delivered them directly to venues.
“This space feels like it’s come full circle — right back to where it all started, eight years later,” she said.
At EcoWilde, Neumann brings in expertise from her degrees in sustainability and performing arts and years of working in sustainable event design, setting herself apart from typical flower shops and greenhouses through her sustainability-minded business model.
“It’s a field that’s still very new, so I’m constantly inventing new ways of doing things as I go — there’s not really a road map for this,” they said. “When I was building out the store, I wanted to carry genuinely beautiful things without contributing to the waste and landfill problem that a lot of retail creates — and I wanted to stay conscious of my own carbon footprint. So, I kept asking myself, ‘What would the Lorax do?’ And the answer was that the Lorax would gather things from local artists rather than mass-produce or import.”
Neumann says that since opening their doors, patrons and passersby have shown great enthusiasm and appreciation for EcoWilde.
“I’ve watched folks stop just to admire the mural or stop and say ‘hello’ to Pawlie (Neumann’s cat who roams through the store) through the window, even if they don’t come inside,” they said. “Visitors on vacation in Oak Park, or in town seeing friends and family, have made stopping by part of their trip, which has connected us with people from all over who are excited about plants and handmade crafts. And our neighbors have been thrilled too, just happy to see more life on this block and to see a space filled that had sat empty for so long.”
Whether you’re a long-time plant parent, someone looking for event design or just wandering through the neighborhood, Neumann shares that at EcoWilde, both eco-conscious shopping and neighborly camaraderie abound.
“It’s not just about the products — it’s a place to slow down and feel connected to your neighbors and to nature, right in the middle of town,” she said. “We’re proof that you can grow something good for the planet and good for the community at the same time — and we’d love for our neighbors to be part of that.”
For information about EcoWilde’s services and to inquire about design, visit ecowilde.com or call (708) 304-3675.