KENT, Ohio – If you’ve thought about adding plants to your living space but aren’t sure which types you should consider or how to care for them, Flourish Plant Market in downtown Kent is here to help.
Flourish in October opened its Kent store at 113 S. Water St. The plant market specializes in indoor plants and handmade accessories, classes and workshops.
Cuyahoga Falls resident Alicia Hall started Flourish as an online store in 2020, in addition to selling plants at the Jenks Building mercantile in Cuyahoga Falls. Being laid off from her previous nonprofit job gave her the push she needed to start the plant market, she said.
“Plants have always been a common theme throughout my life – both indoor and outdoor plants. I’ve always just loved them and had a passion for them. It was kind of this dumb aha moment when this lightbulb went off in my head like houseplants and indoor plants is what you should be focusing on,” Hall, 43, said. “It was the most obvious thing staring me right in the face.”
Starting Flourish has allowed Hall, who describes herself as a constant learner, to share her love of plants and knowledge with others.
“I want everybody to be able to enjoy plants,” Hall said. “There are all kinds of scientific studies about how having plants helps with cleaning the air, and improving your mental health, clarity and focus,” she said. “Having plants in your space can also improve your mood.”
Her houseplants range from $4-$80 and include varieties suited for low light, medium light and bright light, according to Hall. Care cards come with each plant that share information about the type of plant and whether or not it’s toxic, along with a QR code plant owners can scan to learn about how to care for their plant. Flourish also offers a selection of pet-friendly plants.
“There’s a good variety of plants that are pet safe, so having the knowledge of which ones are and which ones aren’t is really helpful, and I put that on my cards too,” she said.
In addition to offering a carefully curated selection of houseplants, Flourish partners with local artisans to offer accessories, pots and plant hangers to turn houseplants into works of art.
“I love being able to support other people’s businesses and it’s a beautiful relationship – they help us, we help them,” Hall said. “I just love it. Local is important to me – supporting the local economy and helping the little guy to be able to feed their family and plus the quality is really great.”
It’s been a mission of Hall’s to incorporate local, handmade products into her business, and she is always looking to partner with handmade vendors.
Workshops and classes
Instead of sending plants off to new homes and in some cases, an almost-certain death, Hall offers several educational classes to help new and experienced plant owners alike.
Classes include:
- Plant Parenthood 101: An instructional class that covers the basics of plant ownership.
- Plant Repotting Workshops: This class offers guided instructions and materials for repotting indoor plants.
- Hands-on workshops: these vary by season and include sessions where participants can make their own Kokedama (a Japanese moss ball) or moss art, for example.
She works with local breweries to host “Pints and Plants” pop-up events where participants can make a planter and enjoy a beer. She also hosts free community events where residents can swap plant cuttings or houseplants, she said.
Above all, Hall aims to offer a safe, welcoming space at Flourish where community members can browse plants and learn about how to care for them in an environment that isn’t intimidating.
“There are no stupid questions,” Hall said.
Community members can follow Flourish Plant Market on Facebook and Instagram to learn about upcoming workshops and events. The plant market also offers Plant Perks, a monthly newsletter that offers advance notice on new products, discounts and plant-care tips.
Flourish Plant Market is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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