Downtown Tacoma plant store, gift shop that served as launchpad for creatives to close
If you’ve gotten used to seeing rare pink and green cacti stretch in the windows of a shop on the corner of Broadway and South 9th Street in downtown Tacoma, know your view will be changing soon.
Artisan gift shop and plant store Sunny’s will be closing for good in March after opening in 2021, the business said in a social media post Tuesday. The couple also own the cafe Jin Jin Matcha down the block, which opened in 2023.
“This was not an easy choice, but one we know is best for us. To be transparent, we’ve delayed sharing this news for as long as we could. We held on, hoping to make it work because of how much this shop means to us,” co-owners Sarah Oh and Ryan McGowan wrote. “Running a business with your life partner has been one of the greatest joys, but it also comes with its challenges. Ultimately, we’ve decided to prioritize our marriage and recognize that we don’t have the bandwidth to keep Sunny’s going.”
Oh declined to comment further to The News Tribune on Wednesday.
Sunny’s offers a wide variety of succulents, rare plants and artisan goods, from fragrances to homemade pottery, glass cups, candles, soaps and oils. Oh told The News Tribune in 2023 the couple had its eye on the 785 Broadway storefront for years because of its location and natural light.
In the social media post, Oh and McGowan said what started as “a small dream during COVID grew into something far greater than we ever imagined.”
Over time, they said, the business served as a place for community and “a launchpad for so many creatives and small businesses.”
“We’ve thrown some of the best parties, celebrated engagements and marriages, met your babies, cried together, laughed together, shared so many beautiful moments and made sure you didn’t kill your plants,” Oh and McGowan wrote. “You became more than customers; you became friends.”
Sunny’s last official day is March 2, according to the owners. McGowan will be at the shop Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. until that day, the post said.
“It has been an honor to contribute to this community, and we will always love small businesses and believe deeply in the importance of keeping brick-and-mortar spaces alive,” the owners said on social media. “We encourage you to continue supporting Antique Row and all the amazing small businesses here. Many owners are feeling the weight and exhaustion of these times, and there’s no better time to show up and keep this block vibrant.”
While the owners said this chapter is ending, “It’s not goodbye — it’s see you soon. Thank you for everything, Tacoma.”
This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
