Tacoma home plant store thrives during the pandemic

When Katherine Raz opened her plant shop in the spring of 2019, she was taking a risk. The Fernseed is one of the few small businesses that has seen its sales increase from the past year, even throughout the pandemic and economic downturn.

“We have been busy, but it’s also just been very volatile because our supply chain is a little shaky,” Raz said. “But people have a real interest right now in houseplants and gardening.”

Stuck at home during the pandemic, many Tacoma residents have an increased interest in gardening and working with plants. The Fernseed sells some outdoor plants, but mostly locally sourced indoor plants meant for home decor, which Raz said has also grown popular with people spending more time inside.

Home decor plants were popular before the pandemic began, with Instagram and Pinterest photos marketing the aesthetic of having plants. Raz, who always loved home decor and now owns estimates she owns 60 houseplants, opened her shop in 2019 with the idea of having one place where people could buy a locally sourced plant and a cute pot to put it in, which she hadn’t been able to find in Tacoma or surrounding areas.

“From the very moment we opened we were slammed, exceeding my conservative expectations for the business,” she said. “ We had to figure out how to run a shop in a higher volume three times than I had ever expected.”

Sales this summer have increased by 40% compared to last summer, when the business was only a few months old. The Fernseed is opening a new, bigger location in South Tacoma, at the end of September that may serve as a location for classes, workshops and an expanded flower open “stem bar” to make bouquets from Washington-sourced flower growers along with daily flower delivery services.

But even while opening a new location, Raz still said that the business, like most local businesses in this time, is on “shaky ground.” Cash flow for the expansion of The Fernseed has been a real concern, Raz said, though she added that the new space is necessary for the business to survive — she has been working out of the original 750 square foot space that had been small and inexpensive enough when taking the risk to start the business.

“We have no back room or prep space or break room,” Raz elaborated. “We have no space for boxes, tape or anything to fulfill our online orders. The store’s so small that in order to stock it for the entire week, we have to order more than we can fit in the shop.”

Raz also added that the pandemic has led to delays in supplies and keeping up stock, as she noted that most plant shops in the U.S. order from the same suppliers that are overflowing with demand. Since many of The Fernseed’s pots are made by local artists, it also takes time to replenish inventory when demand is high.

Raz is also worried about if Pierce County goes back to Phase 1 of its reopening plans and the store has to close again. She saw a 50 percent reduction in monthly revenue when the store was closed, although the business also opened an e-commerce wing during that time that has seen orders from all 50 states.

“It’s so hard for everyone right now,” Raz said. “We are super lucky to be able to make these moves and grow the business, but we are by no means out of the woods.”