She’s effortlessly cool — and so is her charming plant store


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Many who enter the Inexperienced Place don’t come for the crops, and proprietor Jennifer Aragon is greater than OK with that.

They could paint their very own terracotta pots, parking themselves on the plant store’s heart desk to begin crafting. They could bop their heads to Elvis or Blondie as they sip iced espresso on the sofa. In the event that they’re the man from subsequent door, they could are available on their every day lunch break to play the well-loved piano.

Nonetheless, those that do come for the crops are by no means upset.

A sign reading "always stay humble and kind" hangs on a wall surrounded by potted plants indoors.

The Inexperienced Place plant store options a number of uplifting and inspiring indicators.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)

The store is thriving with heart-shaped caladiums, tropical marantas and soft-pink syngoniums. “It’s been some time since our restock, so it’s a bit empty proper now,” she says, though the huge greenery says in any other case.

Aragon, 38, has effortlessly cool power. Her black hair curls right into a high knot, accented by gold hoops and a welcoming smile. After a decade in retail administration, she selected to spearhead her personal enterprise solo.

Her downtown Fullerton store opened in August 2020, and all the things in it has a narrative. Take the rusted Brachiosaurus sunbathing on the entrance desk: Cactus Mart wasn’t promoting it however Aragon managed to purchase it anyhow. And the hand-painted partitions by native muralist Carla Roque, who splashed white-outlined leaves on glossy black paint after seeing Aragon’s reference sketches.

Between native paintings, partnerships with different metropolis distributors and Aragon managing the entrance desk, the shop is a love letter to Fullerton. Sitting throughout the paint-speckled crafting desk, Aragon tells me how she made it that approach.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

So, when did the plant dream start?

I began accumulating crops about 10 years in the past, however the plant store dream most likely began in about 2017 or 2018. That’s after I was like, “I don’t need to be at my job anymore, I actually need to do one thing else. I need to begin my very own enterprise.” However I didn’t actually know what I needed to do. After which one time I used to be at dwelling, simply watering my crops, and I used to be like, “I’m gonna open a plant store.” And again then, there have been no plant retailers [in this area]. There have been nurseries like House Depot, Lowe’s, Armstrong’s, and the one one which’s like much like that is most likely just like the Potting Shed in Orange.

It’s actually cool to see everyone’s completely different aesthetic and personalities come by way of the plant retailers as a result of although there’s so many, they’re all so completely different and so distinctive and have their very own personalities.

A Brachiosaurus sculpture towers over a cluster of potted plants indoors.

A Brachiosaurus sculpture towers over a forest of crops in the course of the store.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)

Talking of decor, have been you the one who adorned this place?

Yeah — my imaginative and prescient was actually to make it really feel such as you have been in somebody’s home, such as you come and it’s comfy. About 90% of all the things right here is handmade or given or simply donated, so all the things has a narrative in its personal sense — and that’s what I needed. I didn’t need it to really feel very boutique-y; I needed it to really feel such as you have been like hanging out at your good friend’s home, and I feel we captured that. I need individuals to really feel comfy in right here, to hang around and never really feel such as you have been in an excellent fashionable boutique.

Completely, and this can be a actually huge area.

It’s actually huge. It was intimidating at first, however now that we’re in, I really feel prefer it’s not sufficiently big [Laughs.]

Why downtown Fullerton?

I moved right here after I was 22. I simply love the realm; I’ve seen it change a lot. So many shops are available and are available out, and it’s simply at all times saved a extremely cool vibe. I’ve moved 3 times and I’ve stayed in Fullerton. It was like the right look; clearly the right location. And to be sincere, I by no means ever, ever would have dreamed that I’d have the ability to have this location. I’ve seen three completely different retailers come and exit of this location, and it’s cool that I’m a part of that lineage of the individuals which might be right here.

A woman holds a potted plant with pink and green leaves.

Jennifer Aragon holds a Calathea roseopicta ‘Rosy’ plant.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)

And the way did it really feel opening this for the primary time?

Scary. Actually scary. However to be sincere, I felt actually proud. It’s a scary factor, and I did it on my own. I don’t have a accomplice, so if it fails, then I fail on my own. But when it succeeds, then I succeed on my own. I’m proud to have that, whether or not it doesn’t work or it really works, I’m proud that I used to be capable of do the scary journey.

What’s the workers state of affairs like?

Proper now, we’re family-run as a result of I’m on my own. I’ve my mother that works for me. I’ve my sister that works for me. After which I’ve a pair ladies that work part-time, in order that they produce other jobs after which they choose up hours right here and there. And so they’re those that I’ve identified from different retail jobs, so it’s actually cool as a result of I belief their work ethic.

It’s actually tight-knit as a result of, particularly when you’ve your personal area, you must belief the individuals which might be operating it for you. And we’re not an organization. It’s simply us. Like, when individuals need to speak to the supervisor or HR, it’s me! So you actually must belief the those that, in a way, are caring for your own home. That is my second dwelling. That is it.

Plants line up in a row atop an old piano.

A outdated piano serves as a plant stand.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)

How do you carry your tradition into your retailer?

Oh, God, all over the place. Even similar to distinctive items of artwork, even music — so my tradition, I’m Hawaiian, Filipino and Spanish — and so we even do like Hawaiian days the place you get a reduction if you happen to come wearing like a Hawaiian shirt or one thing like that. However yeah, even simply with the crops that we usher in, the artwork that we usher in, the music that we usher in — we simply flood it.

That’s superior. What’s one thing that you just hope everybody who comes into this retailer experiences?

Two hats and a painting of a woman hang on a wall above some potted plants.

Distinctive paintings and hats grasp on the partitions of the store amid the swirling traces of a mural.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)

Optimistic power. Like legit, I need individuals to stroll in and be like, “Oh my God, like, I don’t need to go away. I really like being right here.” Genuinely, that’s what I need. I need individuals to return in and like, possibly they’re in a foul temper or they’re having a foul day, and I need them to stroll within the door and immediately really feel like a constructive power and go away feeling that approach. I need it to alter their day.

One of many issues I really like is that individuals are available and simply sit on the sofa and drink espresso and simply chill, or are available and paint pots and similar to chill right here for an hour or two. I really like that, as a result of it’s like, oh, I’m creating the power that individuals need to sit in, whether or not it’s the music or us, the employees or the crops or no matter it’s. I need them to really feel a neighborhood once they stroll in right here.

So if there was an emergency and you may solely save one plant, which would it not be?

[Thinks for a while.] Most likely my Philodendron cordatum ‘Brasil.’ So it’s the one hanging on the wall. It’s not a very fashionable plant, but it surely’s one in all my favorites. The leaves are formed like a coronary heart, and once they vine, they’re actually cool. It’s not one of many cool trending ones on Instagram. It’s not something that anybody is drawn to, however for some cause, I’ve like 4 of them in my home. And I simply love them. I really like the best way they path. I really like their colours. I feel they’re very easy to deal with, and so they give such lovely coloration.

Is there any plant you would go away behind?

[No hesitation.] Yeah, most likely all Calathea. There’s tons of various styles of them. And folks love them as a result of they’re attractive, however let me inform you, they’re essentially the most finicky brats ever. [Laughs.] They’re simply so choosy, however they’re attractive. They’re just like the imply ladies of the plant group.

What’s your greatest recommendation for aspiring plant mother and father?

Begin off small and straightforward. Avoid the fashionable ones on Instagram. As a result of normally these want a variety of love and care, after which you will get discouraged. Don’t purchase something costly at first. Perhaps a snake plant, a ZZ plant, a pothos — one thing simple. Simply work your approach up.

A woman stands on the sidewalk outside a store with a sign reading "The Green Place Plant Shop."

Jennifer Aragon stands for a portrait exterior the Inexperienced Place.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)