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

In our Plant PPL sequence, we interview individuals of colour within the plant world. When you have recommendations for PPL to incorporate, tag us on Instagram @latimesplants.

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

They may paint their very own terracotta pots, parking themselves on the plant store’s heart desk to begin crafting. They may 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 vegetation are by no means disenchanted.

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 prime 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 every part 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 art work, 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 manner.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

So, when did the plant dream start?

I began amassing vegetation about 10 years in the past, however the plant store dream in all probability 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 house, simply watering my vegetation, and I used to be like, “I’m gonna open a plant store.” And again then, there have been no plant outlets [in this area]. There have been nurseries like Residence Depot, Lowe’s, Armstrong’s, and the one one which’s like much like that is in all probability just like the Potting Shed in Orange.

It’s actually cool to see all people’s totally different aesthetic and personalities come via the plant outlets as a result of though there’s so many, they’re all so totally different and so distinctive and have their very own personalities.

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 every part right here is handmade or given or simply donated, so every part 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 believe 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 a brilliant fashionable boutique.

Completely, and this can be a actually huge house.

It’s actually huge. It was intimidating at first, however now that we’re in, I really feel prefer it’s not large enough [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 all the time saved a very 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 trustworthy, I by no means ever, ever would have dreamed that I might be capable to have this location. I’ve seen three totally different outlets come and exit of this location, and it’s cool that I’m a part of that lineage of the individuals which are right here.

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

Scary. Actually scary. However to be trustworthy, I felt actually proud. It’s a scary factor, and I did it on my own. I don’t have a associate, 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 scenario 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 women that work part-time, so that they produce other jobs after which they choose up hours right here and there. And so they’re people who 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 could have your individual house, it’s important to belief the individuals which are operating it for you. And we’re not a company. It’s simply us. Like, when individuals need to speak to the supervisor or HR, it’s me! So you actually must belief the people who, in a way, are caring for your own home. That is my second house. That is it.

How do you deliver your tradition into your retailer?

Oh, God, in all places. Even identical 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 for those who come wearing like a Hawaiian shirt or one thing like that. However yeah, even simply with the vegetation that we herald, the artwork that we herald, the music that we herald — we simply flood it.

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

Optimistic power. Like legit, I need individuals to stroll in and be like, “Oh my God, like, I don’t need to depart. 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 nasty temper or they’re having a nasty day, and I need them to stroll within the door and immediately really feel like a optimistic power and depart feeling that manner. 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 identical 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 vegetation or no matter it’s. I need them to really feel a group once they stroll in right here.

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

[Thinks for a while.] In all probability my Philodendron cordatum ‘Brasil.’ So it’s the one hanging on the wall. It’s not a very talked-about plant, however it’s one in every of 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 believe they’re very easy to care for, and so they give such lovely colour.

Is there any plant you would depart behind?

[No hesitation.] Yeah, in all probability all Calathea. There’s tons of various kinds of them. And other people love them as a result of they’re attractive, however let me inform you, they’re probably the most finicky brats ever. [Laughs.] They’re simply so choosy, however they’re attractive. They’re just like the imply women of the plant group.

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

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