Tanner the Planter

For many people, 2020 has sparked the desire to collect houseplants. It’s something about caring for another living thing that has given people more of a purpose in the midst of stay-at-home orders. 

Because of the increased desire for plants, some plant enthusiasts have also been able to make the leap to selling plants.

Tanner Mitchell, the owner of the north Texas-based plant shop Famous in Oregon, began his plant collecting journey because of missing his lush hometown. 

“I didn’t know what I was missing until I moved here…and was missing it.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic began to spread, Tanner and his wife Erika had already planned to open their shop. While it was certainly risky to decide to open anyway, it turned out to be a positive impact on themselves and their community.

“When you’re at home and you have nothing else to do…you start to slow down a little bit and you start to think about what’s important and you start to think about what is the feeling that I want to bring into my home…”

Tanner has seen firsthand the immense benefits of having plants to take care of, but he’s also quick to point out that to get the real benefits of growing, you can’t just read about plants. It’s about personal interaction with plants and getting your hands dirty.

“You don’t experience the reward without the effort.”

Visit Tanner the Planter’s website for more information and follow Famous in Oregon on Instagram.

This episode was filmed, edited, and produced by Nick Castronuova.