By Tina Ashchian
Photography by Benjamin Rusnak
Inside the gates of Eucalyptus Gardens is a community of its own. A linear row of petite shops with homey décor accentuated by outdoor seating lends a Key West vibe. Leafy ferns hang from canopies and rainbow-barked eucalyptus trees. White stone statues and pink orchids complement the iron patio furniture. A small business community center housing six shops and counting, Eucalyptus Gardens is a home away from home tucked on 3 acres inside Wilton Manors’ thriving commercial scene.
Home is exactly the atmosphere founders Deanna Allen and Judy Ozer want to create. When they arrived in late 2012, the place was far from welcoming with dilapidated buildings, peeling paint and uneven stone walkways. This former plant nursery was essentially a dump. But with their signature love and care, Allen and Ozer have made this spot what is it today.
The first stop at Eucalyptus Gardens is the Alchemist Coffee Shop, which serves hand-roasted and hand-grinded coffee. Matias Jurgeit is the resident “chemist” making fresh cups of Joe by using cycle glass. Catching him concoct a fresh brew is like watching a chemist in his laboratory, surrounded by his beakers. Customers routinely pair a coffee with one of the Alchemist’s open-faced avocado, Mediterranean or tuna sandwiches.
“Working together is what we’re all about here.”
-Deanna Allen
The other food stops don’t disappoint either. The Seed of Life Bistro specializes in raw and vegan dishes, and gluten-free sweets are on tap at New Day Desserts. A French cellar-inspired bar called Chateau D’Vine offers wine, tapas, cheese and craft beers. And during weekends and special events, the Island BBQ and Jerk Pit fires up hormone-free organic chicken and grass-fed beef. And did we mention there are reasonable prices? “Organic doesn’t have to be expensive. Natural doesn’t have to be expensive,” Allen points out.
On-site is Allen and Ozer’s Ginger Root Farm and Country Store, a farmer’s market for cottage industry products. “We are trying to promote all the farmers in Broward County,” Ozer says.
Local vendors gather for Eucalyptus Gardens’ Urban Life Green Market every Thursday—sponsored by SoFla Urban Farms—to sell natural hair and skin products, organic raw honey, baked goods, jewelry and more.
For this food-loving nook, expansion is not slowing down. The last part of Eucalyptus Gardens’ self-called “Eat.Brew.Bark.Love” concept is love. And this friendly team has a lot of it. Allen and her partners recognize passion overcomes challenges: “Yes, we’re new. Yes, we’re growing. Yes, you make hiccups…but working together is what we’re all about here.”
“Working together is what we’re all about here.”
—Deanna Allen
