Bonsai Bar
Bonsai Bar is a Rhode Island-based experiential services company founded in 2021 that runs pop-up beginner bonsai workshops at partner breweries and taprooms across 14+ U.S. states, while also selling bonsai DIY kits, pre-styled trees, supplies, and the SHOHIN grow light via direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersProvidence, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Bonsai Bar does
Bonsai Bar Inc. is a privately held experiential services company founded in 2021 by Tim Arsenault and headquartered in Scituate, Rhode Island. The company operates a pop-up bonsai workshop concept in which participants attend 2-hour beginner sessions hosted at partner breweries, taprooms, wineries, and distilleries, and create their own bonsai tree to take home. Every ticket ($50-$100 depending on location and tree species) includes a tree, ceramic pot, tools, soil, and instruction, and is backed by a Tree Guarantee for select species. Workshops are held at more than 100 partner venues across 14 or more U.S. states, and over 100,000 people have participated since founding.
The company operates a dual revenue model combining in-person workshop tickets with a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store. The retail catalog spans Homebrew DIY Kits (Dwarf Jade, Green Island Ficus, Natal Plum, Shimpaku Juniper at $60-$100), pre-styled bonsai trees ($85-$200), specialized bonsai supplies (fertilizer, wire, mame kits), apparel, gift cards, and the SHOHIN grow light — marketed as the first grow light designed specifically for bonsai. Private and corporate event bookings open a B2B channel for team-building and celebrations with minimum group sizes of approximately 20 attendees, and the Tree-iage program provides post-purchase consultation services. Customer segments span individual beginners (the primary cohort, typically 21+), DIY hobbyists, corporate teams, and private event hosts.
The company has no disclosed institutional funding and operates as an independent, founder-led business. Distribution relies on event-driven pop-ups and an owned e-commerce storefront, with marketing concentrated in organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), partner venue cross-promotion, and post-sale care content. The operational model is service-intensive and decentralized, depending on instructor travel, venue partnerships, and perishable inventory (live plant material) rather than proprietary software or platform infrastructure.
Bonsai Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bonsai Bar
- Legal name
- Bonsai Bar Inc.
- Website
- https://bonsaibar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Bonsai Bar is a Rhode Island-based experiential services company founded in 2021 that runs pop-up beginner bonsai workshops at partner breweries and taprooms across 14+ U.S. states, while also selling bonsai DIY kits, pre-styled trees, supplies, and the SHOHIN grow light via direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Bonsai Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Providence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Bonsai Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Workshop Tickets: Revenue from 2-hour beginner bonsai workshops held at partner breweries, taprooms, and venues. Tickets range from $50-$100 depending on location and tree type.
- Retail Products: Sale of bonsai trees, homebrew DIY kits, ceramic pots, supplies (fertilizer, training wire), tools, and apparel through the company's e-commerce store.
- Private and Corporate Events: Booking of exclusive workshops for private groups, corporate team-building events, and celebrations at venues of the client's choosing or partner locations.
- Tree-iage Care Program: Post-workshop support program offering 15-minute video consultations with bonsai care experts for ongoing tree maintenance guidance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Workshop tickets - standard pricing |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Workshop tickets - premium locations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Homebrew DIY Kit - Dwarf Jade |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Homebrew DIY Kit - Shimpaku Juniper |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Homebrew DIY Kit - Green Island Ficus |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Homebrew DIY Kit - Natal Plum |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pre-styled Bonsai Trees |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Corporate and Private Events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Shohin Grow Light |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fertilizer and Supplies |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apparel |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Books and Education |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mame Kit |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Bonsai Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bonsai Bar runs nationwide pop-up bonsai workshops at breweries, taprooms, wineries, and venues across 14+ U.S. states, where participants build, prune, and style their own bonsai tree in 2 hours with all materials and expert instruction included. The company also sells bonsai DIY kits, pre-styled trees, supplies, apparel, and its proprietary SHOHIN grow light through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store, and books private/corporate workshops for team-building and celebrations.
Product overview
Bonsai Bar is a pop-up workshop experience company that operates a dual business model: (1) in-person beginner bonsai workshops held at breweries, wineries, and distilleries across 14+ U.S. states, where participants create and take home their own bonsai tree in 2 hours; and (2) an e-commerce retail store selling Homebrew DIY Kits (Dwarf Jade, Green Island Ficus, Natal Plum, Shimpaku Juniper), pre-styled bonsai trees (Dwarf Jade, Dwarf Umbrella, Juniper, Tiger Bark Ficus, Chinese Elm), the SHOHIN Grow Light (the first grow light designed specifically for bonsai), and bonsai supplies (fertilizer, wire, pots, books, apparel). The company also offers private/corporate events and post-purchase tree care support through its Tree-iage program, backed by a Tree Guarantee for select workshop tree species.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pop-up Bonsai Workshops Beginner-friendly 2-hour workshops held at breweries, wineries, and distilleries across the U.S. where participants pot, prune, and style a real bonsai tree to take home. All materials (tree, ceramic pot, tools, soil) and expert instruction are included with each ticket ($50-$100 per person).
- Private and Corporate Events Exclusive bonsai workshops for private groups, corporate team-building events, birthdays, and celebrations led by expert instructors at venues of the client's choosing or partner locations. Requires minimum ~20 attendees with separate agreement for pricing, deposit, and cancellation terms.
- Tree-iage Bonsai Care Consultations 15-minute video consultation sessions with bonsai care experts for workshop participants and retail customers who need help with tree health, care, or replacement guidance.
- Homebrew DIY Kit - Dwarf Jade At-home DIY bonsai kit with nursery stock Dwarf Jade tree, chopstick, bonsai soil, ceramic pot, training wire, and step-by-step video instructions for self-guided bonsai creation. Priced at $60 per kit.
- Homebrew DIY Kit - Green Island Ficus At-home DIY bonsai kit with nursery stock Green Island Ficus tree, chopstick, and QR code linking to step-by-step video instructions. Priced at $65 per kit; not eligible for replacements due to sourcing difficulty.
- Homebrew DIY Kit - Natal Plum At-home DIY bonsai kit with nursery stock Natal Plum tree available in 4" and 6" sizes, with video instruction support. Priced at $65 (4") or $75 (6"). Not eligible for replacements.
- Conifer Homebrew Kit - Shimpaku Juniper At-home DIY conifer bonsai kit with nursery stock Shimpaku Juniper, wooden chopstick, soil, unglazed ceramic pot, and video instruction from Bonsai Bar Director of Horticulture, Josh. Priced at $100 per kit.
- Pre-Styled Bonsai Trees Professionally styled pre-potted bonsai trees sold via the e-commerce store, including Dwarf Jade, Dwarf Umbrella, Juniper Procumbens Nana, Tiger Bark Ficus, Chinese Elm, and Variegated Dwarf Jade in various pot styles. Prices range from $85 to $200 depending on species, size, and pot type.
- SHOHIN Bonsai Grow Light Full-spectrum LED grow light specifically designed for bonsai trees, marketed as the first grow light designed specifically for bonsai. Targeted at indoor bonsai owners who lack adequate natural light. Pre-sale $89; regular price $99.
- Bonsai Supplies Bonsai care supplies including Slow Release Bonsai Fertilizer, Fertilizer Baskets, Bonsai Training Wire (Aluminum Black) in various gauges, and Mame Kit for miniature bonsai. Prices range from $3 to $17.
- Bonsai Apparel Branded merchandise including Bonsai Bar Logo Tee ($17), Cascade Tee Nightbloom ($25-$29), and Tiny Tree Tote organic cotton bag ($25). Made-to-order items.
- Workshop and Retail Gift Cards Workshop gift cards and retail gift cards redeemable for Bonsai Bar workshops and e-commerce store purchases.
- The Little Book of Bonsai by Jonas Dupuich Beginner's guide to bonsai care by Jonas Dupuich, founder of the #1 bonsai blog in the U.S., covering wiring, watering, pruning, pests, disease, tools, repotting, and fertilizing. Priced at $16.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100,000 people have been taught through Bonsai Bar workshops since 2021
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Bonsai Bar
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Bonsai Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Bonsai Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Brewery, Taproom, and Hospitality Venue PartnerscoreBonsai Bar partners with breweries, taprooms, wineries, cafes, and hospitality venues to host pop-up bonsai workshops. These partner venues provide the physical space for workshops while Bonsai Bar provides instruction, materials, and tree inventory. The company operates at 100+ venues across 14+ states. Specific venues mentioned include Stark Brewing Company (Manchester, NH), Invasive Species Brewing (Fort Lauderdale, FL), Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co. (Waltham, MA), Tripping Animals Brewing Co. (Oakland Park, FL), Gnarly Barley Brewing (Hammond, LA), Bad Astronaut Brewing Co. (Houston, TX), Cohesion Brewing (Denver, CO), Stone Brewing Tap Room (Oceanside, CA), Farmstrong Brewing Co. (Mount Vernon, WA), and Hilltop Park Alehouse (New York, NY).
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bonsai Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Sill: Direct-to-consumer online plant retailer targeting urban indoor plant hobbyists. Comparable in indoor-plant retail category and customer demographic, though distribution is e-commerce rather than workshops.
- Bloomscape: Online plant and houseplant retailer shipping potted plants and care supplies DTC. Relevant overlap on plant e-commerce, beginner-friendly care content, and supply-side product bundling.
Direct peers
- Painting With a Twist: Franchised paint-and-sip studio operator that hosts beginner painting classes at partner bars and venues. Closely matches Bonsai Bar's pop-up class-at-breweries model, target beginner-adult hobbyist audience, and ticketed single-event revenue structure.
- Muse Paintbar: Paint-and-sip venue operator running guided painting sessions for adults. Comparable on single-session experience design, materials-inclusive pricing, and a hybrid public/private event mix.
- Pinot's Palette: National paint-and-sip franchise hosting step-by-step painting classes at partner bars and restaurants. Mirrors Bonsai Bar's event-driven GTM, partnership-based venue model, and beginner-friendly experiential positioning.
- Color Me Mine: Paint-your-own-pottery studio franchise offering in-venue creative experiences with take-home pieces. Overlaps with Bonsai Bar on the make-and-take-home format, adult-and-kids audience, and bundled materials model.
- Board & Brush: DIY wood sign workshop franchise with both studio and pop-up formats serving adult hobbyists. Comparable business model combining hands-on instruction, materials bundling, and on-premise drink-friendly venues.
- AR Workshop: DIY home decor workshop franchise offering wood signs, canvas, and chunky knit classes. Shares Bonsai Bar's hands-on, beginner-first workshop format, materials-inclusive ticket, and team-building event offering.
- Wine & Design: Paint-party brand running public and private art classes at partner venues and bars. Overlaps with Bonsai Bar on ticketed social experiences, private event bookings, and beginner skill-building.
- Bonsai Boy of New York: Long-running online bonsai retailer selling trees, pots, tools, and supplies. Closely matches Bonsai Bar's bonsai-specific retail catalog and DIY hobbyist audience, though lacks the workshop channel.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bonsai Bar social profiles
Digital presenceBonsai Bar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance14 records
Bonsai Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bonsai Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Bonsai Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bonsai Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bonsai Bar
What does Bonsai Bar do?
Bonsai Bar runs nationwide pop-up bonsai workshops at breweries, taprooms, wineries, and venues across 14+ U.S. states, where participants build, prune, and style their own bonsai tree in 2 hours with all materials and expert instruction included. The company also sells bonsai DIY kits, pre-styled trees, supplies, apparel, and its proprietary SHOHIN grow light through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store, and books private/corporate workshops for team-building and celebrations.
Is Bonsai Bar a public or private company?
Bonsai Bar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Bonsai Bar founded?
Bonsai Bar was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Bonsai Bar based?
Bonsai Bar is headquartered in Providence, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bonsai Bar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Workshop Tickets are the primary driver. The others are retail Products, private and Corporate Events and tree-iage Care Program.
Who are Bonsai Bar's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Sill and Bloomscape. Direct peers are Painting With a Twist, Muse Paintbar, Pinot's Palette, Color Me Mine, Board & Brush, AR Workshop, Wine & Design and Bonsai Boy of New York.
Does Bonsai Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bonsai Bar.