Weston Nurseries opened a Christmas tree pop-up shop near Fenway Park to increase business and morale during the holiday season.
The shop is open Wednesdays through Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shoppers can browse Christmas trees until Dec. 13 or while they last.
Trees can be delivered to customers in Boston and surrounding areas, said Melissa Frank, director of marketing and events at Weston Nurseries.
Frank said the outdoor shop aims to “spread joy” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is some level of nostalgia this year where people just want to go back to their roots and really make some wonderful memories,” Frank said. “It’s been a tough year for people and they’re just really embracing the joy of shopping.”
Frank added that the nursery offers a discount on all products for workers in the medical field to show appreciation for their efforts this year.
The decision to bring a pop-up store to Boston grew out of a preexisting relationship between Weston Nurseries and the Samuels & Associates property management and development company, which owns the pop-up’s lot, Frank said.
Weston Nurseries has additional locations in Chelmsford, Hingham and Hopkinton.
This is the first time the company has opened a pop-up shop in its 97-year history, and she said it has been well received by customers so far.
“It turns out that it’s literally a Christmas party every day,” Frank said. “It really is a blast.”
In addition to trees, the pop-up shop offers wreaths, “balsam swag” — which can be wrapped around a banister — tree stands and plant food. Frank said customers can also choose between live and fresh-cut trees.
Leah Camhi, executive director of the Fenway Community Development Corporation, wrote in an email that many Boston businesses are opening pop-up shops as a way to increase foot traffic.
Business has risen during the pandemic for Chris Gregory, who has co-owned Boston Christmas Trees in Allston for 47 years.
“There’s been an uptick,” Gregory said. “There’s a lot of trees going out, many, many more than in previous years.”
He attributed these early sales to people spending more time at home.
“Celebrating, decorating the house, this sort of stuff has become much, much more popular,” Gregory said.
Artificial trees have become less popular in recent years, Gregory said — farmers have improved cultivation techniques to keep up with customer expectations, making cut trees more appealing.
Boston Christmas Trees imports its trees from Quebec City, which increases their price, but Gregory said “people seem happy to pay.”
He added that customers who purchase cut trees in advance should tend to them properly.
“It’s a long time until Christmas,” Gregory said. “You should be sure … the tree always has water … and try to keep it cool.”
