BERLIN — Whether you’re looking for handcrafted jewelry, fresh produce or local art, chances are you can find it at Urban Nectar.
The new shop, now open in Berlin on Old Ocean City Boulevard, features an array of healthy and organic foods as well as arts and crafts made by area residents.
“We want to ultimately have everything sourced locally,” said Shenan Cute, who runs Urban Nectar with Christie McDowell of The Good Farm.
Cute and McDowell opened Urban Nectar last month in a building that formerly housed a daycare. The space, Cute explained, was chosen because it would provide sufficient room for classes, a farmers market and a retail shop. Though she previously operated Local Mojo in Ocean City, Cute was eager for the chance to partner with McDowell and expand.
“I was restricted on what I had there,” she said, adding that her location on 34th Street had been reliant almost entirely on foot traffic. “Berlin is such a great year-round community.”
At Urban Nectar, customers are greeted with an entire shop filled with everything from jewelry to fresh produce to organic bath products. Customers can get lost in the variety of organic foods and handmade gifts — including Cute’s own wave paintings — that fill the colorful shop. While there’s not too much of anything, as Cute says, there’s a little bit of everything, whether you’re looking for coconut water or organic body butter. Inventory will expand in the coming weeks, as Cute and McDowell will offer fresh milk and butter as well as “grab-and-go” food options as soon as they get the necessary approval from the health department.
“We want to make a lot of it ourselves,” Cute said.
“Our goal is to have a totally locally sourced market,” said Shenan Cute, who operates Urban Nectar with Christie McDowell. Photo by Charlene Sharpe
Eventually, the shop will also offer products like nuts, seeds and spices in bulk. Cute says they’re considering roasting their own coffee and even thinking about setting up a greenhouse on the property.
“There’s more to come,” Cute said.
One side of the shop is devoted to an indoor farmers market, which is held each Thursday from 3-6 p.m. The space is also used for the variety of classes — which range from soap making to bread baking — that are now being offered. For a complete listing, visit Urban Nectar’s Facebook page.
Though the shop is still evolving, it’s already proven popular with customers. Cute says the store has been filled with regulars she got to know during her time in Ocean City as well as new shoppers from the Berlin community.
“It’s been amazing,” she said. “We were blown away.”
She hopes that community support will continue as Urban Nectar works toward its goal of offering all locally made products. She encourages local artisans interested in bringing their goods to Urban Nectar to contact the shop.
“Our goal is to have a totally locally sourced market,” she said.