Greenfield officially welcomed another business to the village’s downtown on Wednesday.
While Greener Pastures: Plant Boutique & Apothecary, located at 326 Jefferson St., has been opened in Greenfield since Mother’s Day weekend, owner and operator Desarae Stockdale said she actually started the business more than a year ago and did online sales, shop hops, bazaars and expos. In September of last year, she moved the business into an actual building, which was located on her property on Old 35 between Washington Court House and Frankfort. However, she outgrew that space. She and her husband discussed what the next step was and they decided to go to a storefront.
“I think Greenfield is a charming historic town,” Stockdale said. “My daughter’s dance classes are here and my son’s barber is here, so each trip to Greenfield kind of sealed the deal for me.”
The whole business started because Stockdale found “playing in dirt” with her plants to be an outlet and a source of relaxation from life’s chaos. She started experimenting with essential oils for different ailments and “fell in love with a more holistic approach to self-care and mental health wellness,” she said.
“I have two children, my son Porter is 8 and my daughter Poppy is 4 and they are amazing, but just like every other parent out there, some days I feel more overwhelmed and super stressed, so plants, oils, and all good-vibe products really help reset my energy,” Stockdale said. “My goal was to create an environment where, when people came, they could feel like they could take a breath and instantly feel relaxed. I wanted to be able to offer them the techniques and the products I use to help with my overall well-being, and maybe help people find their own form of outlet from the chaos in everyday life.”
At the shop, you’ll find houseplants and air plants year-round as well as a selection of plants that change weekly. Seasonal plants are offered as the season changes. Right now, the spring and summer seasonal options are Boston ferns, flower hanging baskets and container flowers. In the fall, there are mums and other fall ornamentals. Around Christmas, the shop will have poinsettias, Christmas cactus and amaryllis.
There are also pottery and soil stations. So, if you purchase a plant and a pot you can use the soil stations to pot your plant up before you leave, or they can do it for you, and it’s free of charge. Along with all the plant and plant-related items, you’ll also find natural bath, body and wellness products, essential oils, soaps, body butters, bath bombs, healing stones, crystals, jewelry, smudge sticks, incense, candles – “all things relaxation and good vibes.”
Currently, the shop hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. While Stockdale said she tries to keep the hours consistent, they are subject to change. But no worries, she updates Facebook daily on the hours of operation.
To stay informed on what’s happening at Greener Pastures, including hours and special sales, check out the Greener Pastures: Plant Boutique & Apothecary Facebook page.
“Thank you for locating here,” city manager Todd Wilkin said, adding that the village appreciates the risk in opening a new business, especially with the current economy. “It’s exciting to see these things happening downtown.”
