Pop-Up: The Seashell Bar at Farmgirl’s Front Porch

You know that you have an original idea when you research how to tackle it, and nothing comes up. That was the case for Jessica Billings, founder and owner of Farmgirl’s Front Porch in Wickford, when she landed on the concept of a sea shell bar – a self-serve experience of selecting shells as vase fillers or for use in crafting – and was ready to pursue how to realize that vision. “I was brainstorming ideas for a unique in-store pop-up when my 15-year-old daughter and her friend had a do-it-yourself night and decorated the most beautiful sea shell picture frames. The second I saw them, I started to plan the sea shell bar,” says the entrepreneur, who opened the brick-and-mortar last spring to add a tactile in-person component to her popular faux floral decor e-commerce site, The Accidental Farmgirl. When Billing’s search for a “sea shell bar” came up empty, she fashioned her own template.

In her pre-Farmgirl life, Billings had a candy buffet business called Party Pants, where she would set-up beautiful displays of apothecary jars filled with sweets to align with a prescribed party theme. “That type of display is so simple and attractive, and I’ve been wanting to incorporate something like that in the shop somehow,” she says. The sea shell bar was the perfect fit. With an arsenal of sturdy plastic jars at the ready from Party Pants, plus baskets and other vessels, the next step was to amass shells. Rather than comb the shoreline and embark on scrubbing and soaking to remove organic matter, she found a trusted vendor and now carries nearly a dozen types of shells, each housed in its own jar.

The Seashell Bar sits on a wooden unit akin to a potting shed table, lined at the center with lengths of sage-and-white-striped paper and risers positioned to provide varying levels for interest and access. On the bottom shelf, there is a basket of mixed small shells with a plastic scoop, and nearby are clear flat-bottom bags for shoppers to fill. And whether you know a tiger cowrie from a spiny murex or not, it doesn’t matter – like any hands-on bar or buffet, the choice is yours. Additionally, filled bags are available for grab-and-go.

Throughout the shop, inspiration abounds for how to decorate with shells, whether strung, stored, or as vase fillers. Billings shares that she keeps a jar of shells collected from family vacations in her kitchen year-round; however the retail installation will be put away to make space for fall. “I am toying with the idea of a DIY bar to switch out with the seasons,” she says. “But I’m not sure if anything will top the Seashell Bar. It’s been so popular, we will keep it up through September.” 10 Main Street, North Kingstown; AccidentalFarmgirlCo.com