Community Highlights: Meet Neicy Wagner Geis of Tigerlily Goods

Today we’d like to introduce you to Neicy Wagner Geis.

Hi Neicy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

I’ve had a lifelong love of plants and turned my hobby into a career after working at Honeycomb & Co, a local floral shop. I learned so much about running a small business, but mostly about how deeply I cared about being a part of my community. I wanted to build the kind of place my grandfather talked about, he had a “guy” for everything…and I wanted to be everyone’s plant lady, the one they could count on for all their houseplant needs.

Another thing I discovered while working there was the massive waste in the floral industry and I wanted to create a more sustainable form of gift-giving. After leaving the flower shop, I began making succulent planters for friends who’d seen them on my socials. I had a full-on production studio in my dining room and was potting on my patio and kitchen sink. There were plants everywhere!

In September of that year (2018) I took a chance and rented a booth at Sunnyside Music Fest and it just snowballed from there. Within 2 months, I knew it was time to rent a studio to work out of and it was apparent within the first few days that I needed to become a full-on retail shop, I had a line out the door…Tigerlily Goods was born! My first day as a brick & mortar was Small Business Saturday and a huge success, it never really slowed down after that.

Then the pandemic hit. Luckily for me, plants were all the rage since everyone was stuck at home, so I just pivoted my business model, ramped up delivery, and offered actual window-shopping. You’d choose your plant and pot through the window, watch me repot it, then slip your card through the mail slot and I’d leave it outside. It made lockdown a lot more fun! I drove all over town delivering plants and pretty sure I was the only one offering that service at the time. I became known as the “Plant Lady” to so many, mission accomplished!

When we were allowed to reopen, I knew I’d outgrown my tiny little 200 sf space and moved 2 doors down to the corner unit which was around 3x the size. A risky move during a pandemic, but it’s been amazing! I love hosting pop-up markets and being able to showcase local makers and give them a space to peddle their wares. For many, it’s their first market and I love making them feel comfortable and confident enough to put themselves out there. Sometimes all you need is a little push!

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While the pandemic should have been a hurdle for me, it was probably the best thing to ever happen in the plant industry. Unfortunately, everyone noticed, and the market is now pretty saturated. Coffee Shops, Tattoo Parlors, and many bars and restaurants are now selling plants.

They’re everywhere! But there’s nothing wrong with a little competition, you just need to stick to your values, treat your customers as if they’re indispensable (because they are), and try to stand out in a crowd. I believe I’ve been able to do those things and now offer so much more than just plants that it’s become a one-stop gift shop for so many…and we still deliver!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Tigerlily Goods is a wonderful little plant shop in North Denver where community is king. We feature pottery, artwork, greeting cards, jewelry, candles, you name it! All from local vendors, makers, and entrepreneurs. Vintage clothing has always been a passion of mine, so we have a small section for that too. And you can always find weird, wonderful decor for sale that I’ve picked up at estate sales along the way.

We sell only the highest quality plants, purchased locally, and offer a variety of services to care for them. We offer home or business visits, take care of your plants while you’re away, and provide the plants and maintenance for local salons and restaurants. We also sell plants at the most amazing grocery store in town, Leever’s Locavore, and have been there since they opened. It’s a wonderful community that supports small batch and local vendors and we’re very proud to be a part of that!

When you step into Tigerlily Goods, you can rest assured that one of our plant nerds will happily help you choose the right plant for your space and ability, pot it for you, and give you care instructions. We want to build your confidence and empower you to take care of all your houseplants. I always encourage folks to text and send pics of their struggling buddies, whether they bought them here or not. I just want everyone to succeed as a plant parent.

We offer repotting and plant doctoring services. The repotting is free if you purchased either the plant or pot here, otherwise, we just charge a small soil fee. I’d like to think we’re a full-service shop and here to meet all your needs. Just ask, we’re happy to help!

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love this city and am proud to say I’m the 7th generation from North Denver.

A lot has changed, for sure, but what I love most is the freedom you have to express yourself and how welcoming the residents are. We have an amazing art and music scene and some really great restaurants. I love that every time I visit a part of town I haven’t been to in a while, there’s something new. Folks aren’t afraid to experiment and that makes it an exciting city.

What I don’t love are the prices. The high cost of living and cost of goods is through the roof and has driven a lot of good people away and kept some from even coming. It’s nearly impossible to get by like it was when I grew up here. I doubt that’ll change anytime soon but it doesn’t make me love this city any less. Denver is a wonderful place and nowhere I’d rather be!