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Turns out, you don't need to head upstate to escape the city for a day. Instead, this massive new plant store in Brooklyn offers a meditative space to immerse yourself among the greenery.
Horti PLAY opened last week at 432 Rodney Street bringing 5,000 square-feet of green goodness to Williamsburg, becoming one of the largest plant stores in the five boroughs.
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Plant subscription service Horti sends plants and tools to customers each month, along with instructions to help people keep their plants healthy and even develop a green thumb. At its new sunny storefront, you can shop for houseplants and even get some advice from a plant doctor. Horti plans to host apothecary workshops, pop-ups and live performances at the space.
Large, rare species of plants soar over 9 feet tall inside the shop, including the billowy Philodendron Giganteum, a waxy Ficus Elastica Burgundy, a broad-leaved Bird of Paradise and a rugged Euphorbia Trigona cactus. In the center of the showroom, there’s an ornate black-framed Victorian glass greenhouse for intimate talks and immersive sound baths. A neon sign reading “get dirty” beckons visitors to a repotting station.
... people can drop by for a moment of respite from their day-to-day life and enjoy being surrounded by the calming presence of plants.
"We've designed Horti PLAY as a space where people can drop by for a moment of respite from their day-to-day life and enjoy being surrounded by the calming presence of plants," Bryana Sortino, Horti co-founder and COO, said in a press release. "With community as our driving purpose, we're already looking toward additional ways to use the store, such as an artists' co-working space and curated houseplant library."
Plus, you can sign up for nationwide houseplant delivery, including month-to-month, six-month and 12-month subscription options. You'll get to select pots you like, including classic terracotta or multicolor options, and you can filter for pet-friendly plants. There are even houseplant insurance plans for gardening novices.
"Forming relationships with houseplants is at the core of our business, and Horti PLAY has been designed to reject the throw-away culture of shopping and instead put connection with nature at the forefront," Puneet Sabharwal, Horti co-founder and CEO said in a statement. "There isn’t a houseplant store like this anywhere in New York City, and we look forward to using the space as the conduit to many long-lasting houseplant relationships."