Get an instant mood boost from some local plant shops
A hint of humidity—not the mid-July oppressive kind, but just the right amount of dewiness—greets you at the door. A deep inhale and an exhaled sigh follow. It could be a hot yoga class, but it’s even simpler than that. It’s your local plant shop, with hundreds of plants recycling the air hourly and creating a delightful greenhouse effect.
That noticeable calming and refreshing feeling isn’t fleeting or placebo. Scientific studies cite numerous physical and mental benefits of sharing space with plants. Three local plant shops—one a reinvented concept in downtown Greenville, one reopened in new Augusta Street digs, and the little plant shop that could in the Village of West Greenville— understand the assignment.
“Plants naturally vibrate an energy and produce a color that feels very calming and positive,” says A.J. Arellano, owner of Savereign on Pendleton Street. “Yes, the reason hospital colors (uniforms, walls, etc.) are usually green is because it’s a naturally calming color. So, I think having some form of plant helps us naturally feel grounded and connected. It allows us to have the feeling of control of our environments, which gives us peace.”
Leyly Bagherof of Sun and Soil Plant Parlor moved her shop across Augusta Street to a larger space to give her room to grow. With a fall 2023 reopening after months of renovations to the new space, she wasn’t sure her loyal customers would return. They did, of course, and a steady stream of first-time guests joined the regulars in complimenting the refreshed, lush environment she created. “I love that this is a place where people can come and find happiness,” Bagherof says.
Working in such an atmosphere has impacted her life in ways she didn’t foresee. “I’ve noticed my own personal mental health has been so much more consistent,” she says.
Kate Plianpeng, owner of Plant Stella, revived the former Gringo’s Cantina with thousands of house and rare plants when she moved her Haywood Mall shop downtown in late summer of 2023. A literal greenhouse, Plant Stella is a collection of plants Plianpeng has driven hundreds of miles to collect: a carnivorous section, succulents, tropical varieties, and more. The goal, no matter the plant, is to feel good with greenery all around.
She even overhauled the second-floor patio to create an urban retreat with outdoor couches surrounded by large, leafy plants. Anyone is invited to enjoy it.
Savereign is a smaller space, yet still designed for guests to enjoy the atmosphere beyond a retail experience—but it’s more than that for Arellano.
“Plants helped me work through my anxiety and depression,” he says. “I feel like the presence of something that needed me was what pulled me out of unhealthy mental phases I was going through. Watering plants can be a crazy calming process if you are taking your time with it and connecting with each plant.”
Each of the three has a distinct personality, but a common goal of bringing the outdoors in for all the right reasons.
“We are so removed from nature,” Leyly says. “This is a cheat code.”
Dig a little deeper
These three downtown plant shops offer much more than plants.
Savereign hosts regular evening dances or live music events in its cozy storefront and sells a selection of Asian snacks and treats designed to delight consumers.
Sun and Soil Plant Parlor is the spot for monthly Meditation and Mimosa classes, along with charcuterie nights, candle-making workshops, and other hands-on instructive and entertaining ticketed gatherings.
Plant Stella has it all: tea shop with fresh tea brewed daily, unique boba combinations, a boutique upstairs, live music, painting events, and authentic Thai dishes for lunch.
