Check Out Rachel Young’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Young.

Hi Rachel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am from a greenhouse family. My great-grandfather grew produce in Holland. My grandfather had a wholesale greenhouse. My dad and all his brothers have greenhouses or are in the green industry. A few of my brothers have wholesale greenhouses. It is what I grew up doing. I think you can say it is in my blood to work with plants.

I have always worked for myself. I had a cleaning business for years and did seasonal garden centers for a long time. I knew I wanted to open a store of my own but I was unsure what type it should be. When I was on vacation during 2019 I walked into a tiny store completely full of plants and pots and I knew that was the store for me.

So I went home found a storefront and opened The Living Room in December of 2019. The pandemic surprisingly helped my business because everyone was stuck at home and plants were all the rage. I was able to expand my little shop downtown and I opened a second location in the north part of town in 2021.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a learning experience for sure. I had to learn how to manage people, manage finances better, how to block out negative comments while taking constructive criticism. It’s never easy to run a business, especially with employees.

I am thankful to have a wonderful team of kind and lovely people. But many different personalities is always a balancing act. The ever-changing laws and requirements for small businesses have proven to be challenging as well. I am super thankful for a good accountant!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The Living Room is a houseplant store that sells all indoor plants and just about everything that goes along with them! Pots, fertilizer, plant books, decorations, cute watering cans, etc. It’s a beautiful store to wander or sit and relax on the couch with a book and some coffee.

My goal was to create a warm, inviting space where all people could come and feel alive. I think plants add life to your home in a way that makes your house look like a home and like you love to be there. We specialize in giving honest advice about what plants will work best for you and your home.

We ask about light in your home and about your level of involvement with what you are trying to buy. We try not to suggest plants that will be too difficult for your knowledge level. I am really proud of my team. They are kind and knowledgeable and really lovely to be around. Also, the stores are gorgeous and I love going to work every day.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I hope to maintain what we have currently. I am not a fan of the constant need to grow and grow and grow. I truly love my job and I want to enjoy it for what it is. I would love to make money, of course.

The cost of everything has gone up and doesn’t seem to be changing so that creates a challenge. But, I just want to BE at my job. I want to be part of the community. I want to be a place that people trust. I want to have a beautiful store and a job that people love.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thelivingroomplants.com
• Instagram: @the_living_room_plants
• Facebook: @The Living Room