If you’ve ever pulled out a wallet in Palm Beach county, you’ve likely done it at least once – or, once a month – at Hive.

Nestled off of Dixie Highway, the space is expansive, always inviting, and consistently awe-inspiring, with the phrase, “I want to live in here,” heard uttered multiple times a day by customers.

Since there’s a good chance you’re one of many who’s said just that, you know it’s well deserved.

Having just celebrated their eighth anniversary last month, Hive didn’t pop up in it’s current day form overnight.

Built strategically with the vision of owner, CEO and Creative Director Sara McCann, the store has grown from Interiors to gifts and apparel for the whole family, florals, plus another very exciting new venture on the horizon.

Curious about what’s next?

You know how this works – to find out what it is, you gotta keep reading!

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For Sara, a career in retail just made sense. It was in her blood from an early age, and she caught ‘the bug’ that continues to drive her passion for the business every single day.

When Sara McCann graduated from college, she took the quintessential (and enviable) fashion path: entering the Neiman Marcus executive training program in Dallas, TX, and eventually moving on to become an assistant buyer.

From there, she moved to Michigan to open a Neiman Marcus where she managed Designer and Couture, forging connections with what would be critical partners in the future development of her career.

One in particular – a then small, lesser-known designer looking to open his first freestanding store – by the name of Kieselstein-Cord (!) – needed support in his new venture.

McCann, up for the challenge, took a leap of faith and relocated to Palm Beach.

Within a month of moving here, she met her now husband, Jim McCann, and 25 years later, the rest, as they say, is history.

When they bought their first home together on Palm Beach, it, as Sara says “needed everything”, so they went to work with a number of design and architectural teams to get the home move-in ready and up to the couple’s standards.

“Two months into the process, I thought, I can do the interior design,” shared Sara.

Her degree in Fashion Merchandising shared a school with Interior Design, so having studied everything from Color Theory to History of Furniture, she felt, as she puts it, “somewhat qualified to open my own design firm and do our own house”.

In the first ten years of their marriage, Jim and Sara bought, renovated, or built from scratch six homes.

They continued to buy in both Palm Beach and West Palm, allowing Sara to use their personal properties to cut her teeth on the building and design side of things.

“It’s been a wonderful partnership,” shared Sara. “Jim identifies properties and then I get to build and design.”

When Sara set her sights on establishing a storefront, they found 424 Palm Street, Hive’s current day location, in a very different state.

“It was a party planner’s warehouse that was this dilapidated building…it was a spraypaint booth and storage facility,” she shared.

Today of course, you’d never recognize as it anything but your absolute dream home.

And that’s by design.

“We wanted it to feel like someone’s home,” says Sara of the space.

“When we opened, I promised that I wouldn’t put anything in the store that I wouldn’t have in my own home.

 “We’re not your typical showroom…one thing that differentiates us is, anything you’re seeing, including the sectional you’re sitting on, you can leave with it! We’ll deliver it the next day. We want you to have this wonderful experience in a welcoming home environment,” she added.

Hive isn’t just a shopping experience – it’s truly a community.

“Our company culture is collaboration over competition,” shared Sara.

“God first, then family, then work. We want people to work hard when they’re here and when they’re gone, enjoy the other things in life,” she added. “I like to hire people who know how to do things that I don’t…it really has been fabulous to have some team members with me from the beginning.”

Outside of the Home piece, you can shop gift, floral, fabrics, apparel for everyone in the family and so much more.

Those of us with the inside scoop know there’s a very exciting new addition to the Hive family – and it’s right around the corner, both in terms of time and location.

Like Zodiac within Neiman Marcus, or Fred’s at Barney’s, the next step in the Hive venture is an experiential dining component – a bakery and café.

“We’re feeding us, feeding our customers, and the businesses, by having a restaurant here,” says Sara.

“If someone makes the effort to come here, we want to make sure they have something to leave with…we want to be able to make it a destination and an all-day experience,” she added.

The restaurant will be what Sara describes as “a little bit of everything”, providing ample options for the sit-down diner, the lunchbreak pop-by, the mom-on-the-go and everything in between, covering breakfast, lunches, and carryout dinners.

What to expect in terms of cuisine?

“Leaning towards fine dining with all of the fabulous execution every time, fresh local ingredients….without the fine dining price tag!”

Stay tuned for more, including the opening date, currently slated for January 2022.

 

With gift-giving season upon us, we asked the store team to share their top picks for the holidays.

Shop now, thank us later!

 

*Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Womens:

Herno: lightweight jackets and vests in an array of colors and styles, perfect for layering and specifically for Florida winters, down-filled 

https://hivepalmbeach.com/products/aminta-down-3-4-slv-cowl-nk-jacket

Cashmere: we have Hive Cashmere private label, toppers, designer cashmere from brand Lisa Yang and Nobili (both 2 new brands to us)- we are the home of cashmere! Everyone needs cashmere in their life 

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/for-her-clothing/products/lucca-cashmere-turtleneck-sweater

Pajamas: we have a selection from Marigot and Sant and Abel, fun florida prints, light weight cottons

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/for-her-clothing/products/amboise-stripe-short-pajama-set

Womens slippers: we have a selection from premium brands Rupert Sanderson and Dorothee Schumacher, they’re great for home and also running errands (inside and outside versatile)

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/for-her-shoes/products/comfort-mood-footbed

Gigi Clozeau jewelry: 18K gold, bracelets and necklaces that come in a selection of colors and lengths, dainty and looks great on everyone, easy to layer with other jewelry

https://hivepalmbeach.com/products/classic-gigi-necklace-16-5

 

*Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Mens:

Herno: lightweight jackets and vests in an array of colors, perfect for layering and specifically for Florida winters, down-filled

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/for-him-clothing/products/nylon-ultralight-reversible-vest

Cashmere: we have Hive Cashmere private label as well as Alan Paine, crew and v necks available, great for layering, everyone needs cashmere in their life

https://hivepalmbeach.com/products/men-s-fellcourt-1-2-zip-contrast-trim-cashmere-mock-neck

Jack Black: a wide selection to build a personalized grooming selection for Him, for the first time we have their Black Reserve collection

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/for-him-accessories/products/black-reserve-body-spray-3-4-oz

St. Johns Fragrances: 4 scents/candles/soap/cologne, hand wrapped in rattan, candles include matches

https://hivepalmbeach.com/search?q=st.+john

Dapper Classic socks: they make great stocking stuffers, a wide selection of fun prints and colors ex. golf, tennis, bourbon

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/for-him-accessories/Mens-Socks

*Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Children:

Petite Plume pajamas: fun prints in an array of silhouettes (long length pant sets, short sets, nightgowns, rompers), you can coordinate your children, flame retardant

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/vendors?q=Petite%20Plume

Asweets: these are the ultimate WOW gift, they’re easy to assemble, our selection includes teepees, camper, theatre, submarine, dream house, ice cream truck

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/vendors?q=Asweets

Baghera: ride on cars for the little one, we have solid colors, a Mercedes and Bentley, a trike, a vintage cruiser, gas pump

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/vendors?q=Baghera

Banwood: every child needs their first bike, balance bikes and classic bikes available in an array of colors, matching helmets also available

https://hivepalmbeach.com/products/classic-children-s-bicycle

Maileg (dollhouse and coordinating furniture/mice and bunny dolls/play pieces: the perfect first doll house with a large selection of items to build on for years to come

https://hivepalmbeach.com/collections/vendors?q=Maileg

 

Visit or contact Hive in West Palm beach here:

Written by TSG Contributing Editor, Kate Rowan