The Story Behind The Plant Room

Emma and Brandon Fear opened The Plant Room (1349 S. Glenstone Ave., Suite H, Springfield) amid the chaos of 2020 because they wanted to create a place where the customers could feel a sense of community. “We really wanted to create a safe place for people to come together and grow something,” Emma says.

The original name of the business was City’s Edge Botanicals, back when the Fears were working out of their home in an 800-square-foot space with a plant cutting wall. During this time, Emma and Brandon offered customers free advice for plant care and then workshops soon after. The home-based shop also featured a soil bar to help beginning botanists pick a good foundation for their plants. After about a year, The Plant Room expanded. “We moved into a larger space so we could have more offerings like our aquatic plants, pottery and gift shop,” Emma says. 

To promote the shop’s storefront in its early stages, the couple attended farmers markets and sublet their space from a thrift store. This allowed Emma and Brandon to meet and educate customers that have now become their close friends. By building these relationships early on, they were able to build a community and partnerships with other businesses in the Springfield area. Now, The Plant Room is home to all different species of plants, including ones that can help you around the house. “People love our carnivorous plants because they take care of pests in their home,” Emma says. “That’s probably one of The Plant Room’s fan favorites.”

Some of these helpful tropical-looking plants include Venus fly traps, pitcher plants and sarracenia. They are great for beginners and allow you to get the hang of watering systems before experimenting with other greenery. The planting fun doesn’t stop at potted carnivorous beauties; other popular houseplants like alocasia, homalomena and pothos also surround the shop. Plus, Emma and Brandon still offer the workshops they used to educate customers at the very beginning of their journey. “Our bread and butter is a terrarium workshop, and we offer them every month,” Emma says.

These workshops often have holiday twists with special decor to fit the occasion. Other workshops include special focuses like kokedama, or a Japanese style of planting where moss is wrapped around the roots of a plant.

The Plant Room has evolved into a must-see spot for both beginner and advanced houseplant enthusiasts, offering an assortment of plants that bring brighter spots on grayer days.