Banyan Tree: A Lifestyle Boutique
Banyan Tree began life as an art gallery, back in 2001. When you visit the store today, in its original Tremont location, the shop still has the intimate feeling of a well-curated gallery. Gleaming wood floors and ornate, vintage metal ceiling tiles above serve as a kind of frame for founder/designer Christie Murdoch’s Bali-inspired works of wearable art.
The wide layout of the store impresses your eye like a scrolling canvas: there’s something new to take in at every turn, as clothing displays capture your attention. Flowing kimonos; tie-dye creations in unexpected color combos; golden honeycomb pants; vibrant embroidery; patterns & prints on maxis, wraps, and rompers that range from vivid to subtle.
Look closer. There’s jewelry, too – often crafted by Clevelanders. And home goods – from CLE-themed coffee mugs & wine glasses to coffee table books you could devour on the spot. It doesn’t take long at all to feel the unique vibe of Banyan Tree: an unmistakable sense of being rooted in local community, one infused with international flair. The clothing, much of it hand-dyed by Balinese artisans, inspires and brings joy.
At Banyan Tree, we go all-out to make the shopping experience feel like a social gathering... a shared experience between you and us.
House Brands: Figwood and North Shore
Created in 2005, our in-house brands are mostly made in Bali, Indonesia. A small portion originates in Thailand. We produce our own clothing, jewelry, and a bit of home goods. We work with small manufacturers who sustainably create limited-edition batches. We pay our suppliers fairly and have cultivated relationships over the years that go beyond just business
About Christie Murdoch, Founder/Designer
Banyan Tree’s founder, Christie Murdoch, grew up helping out in her mothers shop on an Island in Lake Erie, Ohio. She was unaware that her adolescent experience in retail would fuel a passion for fashion in her later career. After graduation, a trip to Bali planted the seeds from which Banyan Tree would eventually spring.
With a fine arts degree under her belt, she set out to open a gallery space. Banyan Tree opened as an art space in Cleveland’s re-emerging Tremont neighborhood in 2001. Gradually, the gallery grew its gift items inventory and began specializing in worldwide artisan wares. By 2006, the store expanded and started carrying clothing, a now staple of its two stores and online store. As time went on, Christie began co-designing and developing her own clothing line, Figwood and North Shore and the lifestyle boutique flourished. Making clothing in small batches from family-owned manufacturers; making connections with local Clevelanders who share the same love for our city; and working with a team devoted to the same passions for growth – these define her mission. When she’s not designing or managing Banyan Tree, you can find Christie traveling, or back at home in Cleveland spending time with her two sons and husband, outside in nature or on her yoga mat.