Brynnen Beierle looks forward to expanding the business by offering additional growing classes, hosting events and much more at the shop’s soon-to-be new location.
27-year-old Brynnen Beierle needed a change. Like so many others, the pandemic made her realize that while she was beyond passionate about her work founding and running a wellness center, the burn out was setting in and it was time for something new. The one requirement for the new venture? Owning her own business.
“I wanted to lead a team, grow and have roots in my community in something I knew was important and sustainable,” says Beierle. “And to me, hydroponics was exactly that, and it comes with a massive, passionate growing community in a town that stole my heart.”
When the previous owner decided to sell the business – a staple in the Roanoke community for almost 20 years – Beierle saw the potential for expansion right away and jumped at the opportunity to take over. “I saw all the ways this business could still grow and expand and I wanted to make it happen,” she says. “I also really care about the environment and knowing where your food, herbs, etc., come from, and I believe this community values that as well.”
Making the choice to own your own business can be a daunting one, particularly for women, but Beierle says you can’t let fear be the deciding factor.
“I think it can still be very subconscious for us as women to sometimes shy away from taking control and making changes in the world that we believe in,” she explains. “And businesswise, I understand the fears are and can be just as equal for men to take the leap, being that fear is present for everyone.
“I believe all emotions along the way have their place, but it’s deciding which emotions you let lead that matters, and can make the shift between going for it and giving up.”
Her advice? “Freaking go for it.” And that’s exactly what she did.
One of Beierle’s first orders of business was working to relocate the shop to a bigger space. Customers will soon be headed to the new storefront in what used to be Backroad Ski and Sports off Apperson Drive.
She already has big things in mind for taking advantage of the larger space, including soil delivery services and stocking local artwork and growing books as well as hosting community events.
She’s also excited about being able to create a dedicated place for folks to bring their compost. “I grew up with compost being a must-do, and I think it’s crucial to have a drop spot for the community to drop their compost and reuse the soil it makes.”
While Beierle says that it’s been a bit of a challenge figuring out how to adjust the original business model to let the community know that they are ready to help and celebrate vegetable growers as well as hemp growers, she’s totally up for the task. “We carry soil, and soon [we’ll] have vegetable seeds, and we’ve always sold hydrotrees which can grow so many veggies right in your kitchen!” The shop will even be offering classes in vegetable growing in the near future and is expanding their hemp growing classes as well.
Beierle also looks forward to giving back to the community that has steadfastly supported her on this new journey. She has plans to offer kids classes in which they use recycled materials to create simple hydroponic growing set-ups, host cookouts and live music events, organize female grower groups and so much more. “There are no limits for where we can grow from here!” she says.
Learn more about Blue Ridge Hydroponics and all of the exciting changes underway on Facebook, Instagram and on their website at blueridgehydro.wordpress.com.
