Where garden glamour meets vintage chic
Introducing Saivya & Co. next to Hardcore Espresso—plus a new Coffee and Couture event in November
You’ve heard of tiny house living, now consider tiny house couture—at Saivya & Co., a pint-sized boutique where garden glamour meets vintage chic. Tucked beside the Hardcore Espresso drive-thru, the shop occupies a cozy she-shed that feels part greenhouse, part runway.
On a recent afternoon, sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating rows of silk slips, rich velvets, and cozy cashmere sweaters. A wall of floral aprons lined one side, while shelves displayed vintage gloves, silk scarves, and well-loved denim.
For owner and namesake Saivya (Shoy-vee-uh) Birnbaum, the shop is an extension of her other life—one that has shaped her for over a decade. She serves as the Garden and Sustainability Coordinator for public schools in Sebastopol, teaching hundreds of local children the principles of organic gardening, soil health, seasonal eating, waste diversion, and regenerative agriculture. Her classes blend science and creativity—sometimes ending with arts and crafts made from garden materials. She has implemented composting systems, secured funding for an outdoor kitchen, and advocates for sustainable food programs.
“I spend a lot of my week with kids in the garden, rain or shine,” she said. “By Friday afternoon, I open the shop, and on weekends I’m here. It’s two sides of the same work—both are about sustainability, creativity, and bringing beauty into daily life.”
The boutique reflects that philosophy. While working in the school gardens, she began layering silk slips under cotton dresses and pairing cashmere sweaters with vintage aprons. “I realized you could be practical and still feel elegant,” she said. Compliments rolled in, and during the pandemic, she launched an online store selling styled outfits—aprons, bloomers, dresses, scarves, and vintage gloves—that celebrated both style and reuse.
Six months after opening its brick-and-mortar, Saivya & Co. has become a local favorite. Customers linger with coffee in hand, trying on clothes “just for fun.”
On Saturday, Nov. 22, Birnbaum will launch Coffee & Couture, a community-focused sip-and-stroll. Participants pick up a stamp card, visit participating coffee shops and thrift boutiques, and are entered to win a custom gift basket with curated items from each shop. The event spotlights sustainability, supports women-owned small businesses, and celebrates Sebastopol’s small-town feel. In true Sebastopol fashion, it’s as much about community as it is about couture
Saivya & Co. is open Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturdays, 11 am–5 pm Beyond its racks and shelves, Saivya & Co. offers personal styling services by appointment for those preparing for a trip, starting a new job, or simply looking to elevate their daily wear.
“Everyone deserves to feel glamorous,” she said. “Yes, even while harvesting carrots.”
From the soil to the city, Saivya & Co. blends heritage, artistry, and sustainability into something uniquely Sebastopol: a space where elegance and earth meet, and where one woman’s work in the garden continues to bloom in unexpected ways.
Thanks to Sebastopol Times subscriber and faithful reader Kathleen Clifford for passing along this story, which was written by Katy Birnbaum, Saivya’s sister. It has been slightly edited by the Sebastopol Times.
So neat! I have often dreamed of running a little store out of one of the mini-structures next to HardCore.