Two best friends are living out their dreams together.
Shawna Villalvazo and Annie McIntyre — along with Orcas Island Tarot, Botanical Bar PNW and Millie Vetterlein — opened the Boardwalk Collective last June in a sea-side storefront at the Orcas Ferry Landing, offering locally crafted products, skin care, antiques, upscale consignment and fresh flowers.
“We have special occasion gifts that are unique, as well as everyday items,” said McIntyre. “We feel really lucky to have this shop together and be on Orcas, employ the things we love to do and be in service to our community.”
Spanning two rooms, the shop is bursting with eclectic vintage pieces, clothing, jewelry, art, home decor, plants, cut flowers and perfume and artisan body care made by Villalvazo. They opened the Boardwalk with “a love for community” and wanting to create space for locals and tourists alike to spend time in Orcas Village.
Since the early 1990s, Villalvazo has owned and operated The Bubblery, which specializes in skin and hair products. In addition to supplying hotels, spas and private lines with her creations, she opened a storefront in Leavenworth, Washington, 15 years ago.
Villalvazo and her husband moved to Orcas in 2020, which they had “always” wanted to do. She visits Leavenworth periodically to help manage the shop.
As the owner of Warm Valley Farm for the past decade, McIntyre began expanding her services. She opened a farm shop, which included items from her business Barn Swallow Vintage, and held winter faires in addition to maintaining an active organic farm. She started hosting craft markets every Wednesday when she met Villalvazo.
“She had really great artists, and I wanted to be included in her vending community. I just knew I needed to be a part of whatever she was doing! Plus, I wanted to hang out on the farm,” laughed Villalvazo.
Add McIntyre: “Shawna decided we would be friends, and I’m so grateful.”
Villalvazo’s skin care line became part of the farm’s permanent offerings.
“Shawna’s products are so lovely. They are subtle and delicious. Her work is magic,” McIntyre said.
When a retail space became available at the ferry landing, adjacent to where Villalvazo was making wholesale merchandise, she approached McIntyre about launching a storefront that incorporated all of their interests.
“We just jive together really well. We are an interesting amalgam,” McIntyre said.
The unit was previously a restaurant, so the two transformed it into a retail space, relying on McIntyre’s background in interior design.
The shop will also host art classes, custom perfume formulation, a lotion bar, design services and more. McIntyre and Villalvazo are crafting a perfume line that will be launched soon. Many of the antique pieces are sourced by islander Jen Vollmer, an estate organizer.
“We also like helping islanders who are downsizing but want their items to still be loved,” McIntyre said. “Our stock is constantly changing.”
While the boutique sees its share of tourist traffic, the new business owners are grateful for community support.
“The variety of our products is unusual, and the price points are reasonable. Once locals brave the drive; they are return customers,” Villalvazo said.
The Boardwalk Collective is open Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 8292 Orcas Road (across from the Orcas Hotel). Soon the shop will be open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thursday). For a schedule of upcoming classes, visit www.theboardwalkcollective.com.
“We’re happy locals are finding us. We want to serve our community first and foremost,” McIntyre said.
