Earlier this year, a familiar business on Railroad Avenue became something new.
Whit & Co. opened in February, signaling a new chapter for a longtime family business that has served the Snoqualmie Valley for more than two decades. Previously home to Down To Earth Flowers, a beloved community fixture that was sold last year, the space is now reimagined and expanded into a vibrant destination for plants and thoughtfully curated gifts, all in the same location Snoqualmie has known for decades.
“We’re incredibly excited to continue serving this community in a new way,” said Alice (Whitaker) Friedel, who runs the day-to-day operations at Whit & Co. “After 25 wonderful years as a flower shop, this next chapter allows us to build on what we’ve always loved; bringing beauty and connection into people’s lives.”
The name Whit & Co. draws from the family surname Whitaker, with “& Co.” a nod to extended family and friends. Shelves are stocked with indoor plants, planters, curated gifts, pantry items, and home goods, all selected with an eye toward design, quality, and locally made gifts people are genuinely glad to receive.
Alice draws on her decade of graphic and retail design and merchandising experience at Starbucks to inform the shop’s curation and aesthetic.
The Whitaker family’s roots in the Snoqualmie Valley run deep. Alice’s grandparents, John and Mary Whitaker, moved their family to the area in the 1940s. John spent years as a community doctor caring for people, delivering babies, and becoming a familiar presence to generations of families in the valley. Together, John and Mary raised 11 children in Snoqualmie. Whitaker Lane on Snoqualmie Ridge and Whitaker Park both bear the family’s name.
“This community has been such a big part of our family for decades,” Alice said. “Creating a new retail experience that builds on our roots while helping the community continue to thrive is incredibly meaningful to me and my family, and we’re proud to carry that forward for years to come.”
Whit & Co. is open now at 8096 Railroad Ave. SE in historic downtown Snoqualmie. Shop online for local pickups at shopwhitandco.com.
