Add to cart. Check out. Done. In today’s increasingly connected world, it is far too easy to click a button and get a package delivered without a second thought. We are all guilty. But what are we missing when we choose convenience over community?

Next time you are looking for a gift or want to treat yourself, scroll past Amazon and consider supporting local LGBTQ+ owned businesses. Right here in Kent, several entrepreneurs are turning their passions into small businesses. Their businesses offer more than just products — they bring a sense of inclusivity, connection and diversity to our community. Supporting them is not just a purchase; it is an investment in our local culture.

Sun in Leo

Walking into Sun in Leo feels like being teleported to a place that somehow blends your grandma’s cozy living room with a groovy, eclectic flair. The store strikes the perfect balance between nostalgia and quirky charm.

The owner, Justine Gallo, graduated from Kent State in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in fashion merchandising. Her senior collection featured six upcycled pieces, creatively transforming old fabric into new designs. Just nine months after graduating, Gallo followed this interest in sustainable fashion and took the leap to open her own store.

“There’s no business out there that I could work for that meets the standards that I hold for myself as a designer,” Gallo says. “It was inevitable for me to be here because I didn’t see myself working for somebody that’s not doing enough.”

It comes at no surprise that the store feels nostalgic, as Sun in Leo operates on the principle of circular fashion. Sun in Leo aims to end fast fashion and eliminate the negative impact the fashion industry currently contributes to the planet. This mantra is evident in every aspect of the store. Not only are the products upcycled and ethically sourced, but the displays and decor are too.

“To me, it’s more than sustainability — it’s circularity,” Gallo says. “I only take pieces that already exist … It’s about where things come from and where they go after that I feel responsible for as a fashion designer in this industry.”

Sun in Leo’s product selection spans a wide range of accessories, apparel, jewelry and home goods. Gallo’s goal is to offer high-quality items that will last at a reasonable price. Many items are designed by Gallo herself, including embroidered crewnecks, custom dresses, patchwork pieces and more. Some crowd favorites include “Silly Goose University” and “I <3 Pussy.” The latter is part of a collection where 22% of sales are donated to Tree City Cats.

The journey of graduating and opening a store is both a significant and deeply personal experience for Gallo. “If I knew myself as a kid, I would be so happy to know what I could accomplish and achieve,” she says. “I like being a representation of what you can accomplish if you just stop living the norm and just live for yourself.”

Each year, Gallo creates a pride collection, and many products featuring LGBTQ+ sayings are carried year round. As a queer woman, she values creating a welcoming environment that uplifts and supports the LGBTQ+ community.

“You can’t do anything without community,” Gallo says. “I feel emotional knowing I can be a safe space for people to find solace here. We can chat here, you can gossip … It just feels like you’re playing dress up and you’re just stepping away for a little bit.”

Alex’s Picks:

Sun in Leo is located in Acorn Alley (154 E Main St Suite C). They post regular updates about events and product launches on Instagram (@shopsuninleo).

Narcissus

The myth of Narcissus, a Greek hunter, is familiar to many. One summer day, Narcissus caught sight of his reflection in a pool and, unaware it was his own reflection, fell deeply in love as if he were gazing at another person. Unable to part from the allure of his own image, Narcissus realized his love could never be reciprocated. He wasted away, transforming into a white and gold flower. 

This is the origin of the name for Shana Mendelsohn’s jewelry brand, Narcissus. In 2019, 17-year-old Mendelsohn started the brand in her home state of California. Now, as a Kent State fashion design senior, she continues to operate the business throughout college. 

“I started my business in my junior year of high school,” Mendelsohn says. “I wanted to venture into jewelry making and the jewelry business … I set up a website, started ordering different jewelry parts from Etsy and wholesalers online and putting those together. Over the course of the next couple of years, I found my voice as a business and started designing my own pieces.”

Mendelsohn designs custom jewelry pieces, including earrings, necklaces and rings. In line with the name of the business, she finds inspiration in Greek mythology. “I’ll typically find some sort of myth that I really like,” Mendelsohn says. “I’ll find motifs, sketch out a 3D model and then send that to my manufacturer.”

As a queer business owner, Mendelsohn creates pieces reflecting her identity. “A lot of the way that I express my queerness is through jewelry,” she says. “I’m trying to create jewelry that helps queer people find their own identities, and also create jewelry that I, as a queer person, want to wear.”

In 2020, Mendelsohn released her pride collection, consisting of bisexual, lesbian and pansexual rings. The rings are simple and elegant, with stones reflecting the flag colors for the corresponding identities. When designing the rings, Mendelsohn says she wanted them to be subtle, but recognizable to people in the community. Ten percent of proceeds from this collection are donated to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center.

Mendelsohn speaks to the power of wearing a ring proclaiming her sexuality. “Having that small indicator of my sexuality on me at all times helped me feel more solidified in my sexuality and who I was,” she says. “I liked having some sort of symbol of queerness attached to my body, and something that was so deeply personal, because I created it and I designed it, has really helped me come to terms with my sexuality and also express it on the outside.”

There were many triumphs and challenges along the way for Mendelsohn. When starting out, she managed every aspect of the business, including photography, fulfillment, customer service, package design, social media and countless other tasks.

The hard work paid off when Narcissus started gaining traction on Instagram Reels. “I started posting a lot on Instagram Reels when it wasn’t very popular,” Mendelsohn says. “Instagram was really pushing my reels. They would get hundreds and thousands of views and overnight it seemed like my business just grew. It was insane. When I was getting hundreds of orders a month, that was when I was like, oh my God, I can do this.”

Moving forward, Mendelsohn is creating designs that lean into her queerness. “I’m making designs that are more true to me,” she says. “I’ve been stepping away from the mainstream jewelry and what I thought that my audience would want, and instead I’m creating my own audience.”

Alex’s Picks:

Narcissus is sold online at www.shopnarcissus.com. They also post lifestyle content and brand updates on Instagram (@shop.narcissus).

Flourish Plant Mkt.

For Alicia Hall, owning Flourish Plant Mkt. is about more than selling greenery — it is about cultivating growth in every sense. Hall’s plant shop is an inclusive environment reflecting her passions for plants and giving back to the community.

Hall was born and raised in Southern California and previously worked as a toy designer before opening Flourish. After meeting her now-wife, Hall moved to Kent. Eight years later, she reflects on what makes Kent different from Southern California.

“It’s a different perspective than what I grew up with living in LA,” Hall says. “I like the slower-paced nature of Kent. It’s more laid back and there’s more opportunity to really get to know people and build that sense of community.”

Inside Flourish, it is clear how Hall is doing exactly that — embracing the Kent community. Beyond plants and plant accessories, the shop stocks one-of-a-kind products from local makers, using its platform to uplift other local entrepreneurs. Community service is another key value to Hall. Last year, Main Street Kent awarded Flourish with Business of the Year for its volunteering efforts.

In line with cultivating a sense of community, Hall aims to make Flourish Plant Mkt. a safe and welcoming space where learning is encouraged. “It’s not only a safe space for the LGTBQ community, but it’s a safe space for anybody who’s unsure of plants,” she says. “Buying a plant can be a little intimidating sometimes. We welcome questions, no matter how silly you might feel asking them.”

Offering the highest quality products is key to Flourish. Every plant is inspected upon arrival, well-cared for and goes out the door as a happy, healthy plant. Hall warmly considers her customers as part of the “plant family.”

Running a plant business is no small feat, and Flourish Plant Mkt. faced an even steeper challenge by opening its doors during the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020. Despite this uncertainty, Hall got creative, offering door-to-door delivery and partnering with local breweries for “Pints and Plants” pop-up sales. Every cent made was reinvested back into the business.

In 2022, Flourish moved into its downtown Kent retail space. Now, the business faces a new uncertainty as its plant suppliers in Florida recover from damages due to hurricanes Helene and Milton. One of Hall’s long-term goals is to lessen dependency on Florida growers by increasing the number of plants grown in-house.

Hall’s journey highlights the strength of passion and perseverance. She embraces her identity as a lesbian, fully expressing her identity in her daily life and business.

“As somebody who is queer, I always played small because I didn’t want to be seen,” she says. “When I grew up, it was a little different than how it is now, so I did my best to hide myself … Once I became more comfortable with who I was and once there was more of a community behind us, I felt like I could be myself.”

Alex’s Picks:

Flourish Plant Mkt. is located in downtown Kent (113 S Water St). They share plant care content and new arrivals on Instagram (@flourishplantmkt).