At Sweet Magnolia and Magnolia Blossoms, you’ll find an abundance of vintage goods along with handmade goods and more

By Mary Malik

When I sat down with Barb Auvil, owner of, Sweet Magnolia, Magnolia Blossoms and Magnolia Creative Studios, we were immersed in what had been her dream since she started crafting, painting furniture and going to craft shows with her mom growing up in Willowick and Eastlake. Surrounded by the creativity and handiwork of the range of vendors featured at Sweet Magnolia, Barb told the story of how her dream of giving people a place to showcase their talents became a reality.

“I was helping my sister at her antique shop on the West Side and people would always say we needed a place like that on the East Side of Cleveland,” says Barb. “I had my eye on this location, and it became available, so I jumped at the chance to open Sweet Magnolia in 2018.”

As retired school bus driver, Barb dabbled in her own creative outlets of furniture painting, homemade and resale items. Sweet Magnolia opened the door to a whole new community and the idea of a relaxing retirement gave birth to a new and vibrant art scene in Lake County.

Let’s take a look at everything Barb and her team have created.

Sweet Magnolia
Eighty percent of Barb’s original vendors are still with her today at Sweet Magnolia. The shop includes an average of 40 vendors offering a variety of handmade, repurposed, vintage and antique items including furniture, food, jewelry, soaps, paintings, woodworking, needlework and more.

“I didn’t want the shop to be only antiques or vintage,” says Barb. “We have those but so much more in this quaint, easy-to-shop space.”

The community responded to Sweet Magnolia and Barb found herself with a growing waiting list for vendor space. So, with encouragement from her husband, Barb found another location and opened Magnolia Blossoms in 2020.

Magnolia Blossoms
With 30 additional vendors, Magnolia Blossoms allowed Barb to expand the opportunity for artisans to share their talents with collectors or simply offer inexpensive seasonal updates for the home.

“If you can’t find what you’re looking for at Sweet Magnolia, head over to Magnolia Blossoms and continue the search,” says Barb. “No two vendors are the same. These are one-of-a-kind originals at amazing prices.”

But wait, there’s more. Barb was also offering classes in furniture painting and other crafts at both shops but decided to offer the precious space to vendors waiting for a spot.

Magnolia Creative Studios
Barb and her partners here, Judy Kemmerling and Lindsay Thompson and Debbie Petschauer, offer space to teach and learn. Take a class or teach a class in everything from furniture painting, jewelry making and home décor to identity theft protection and computer skills at Magnolia Creative Studios.

“There’s an art gallery showcasing repurposed furniture or choose a piece to customize yourself,” says Barb. “Gallery space is available to show your art and rental space to hold a gathering of your own. There are so many ways to share creativity and between our three locations, I’m living that dream right here in Lake County.”

Sweet Magnolia is located at 32600 Vine St. in Willowick, 440-944-7646.

Magnolia Blossoms is located at 34600 Lakeshore Blvd. in Eastlake, 440-571-4653.

Store hours for both locations are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Monday. Find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Magnolia Creative Studios is located at 28900 Lake Shore Blvd. in Willowick. Store hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call 216-406-6182, email magnoliacreativestudios@gmail.com or check the website MagnoliaCreativeStudios.com for class schedule.