Jaime Curtis has been many things in life, including a TV network marketing executive and an author of books for teenagers. But it wasn’t until she started selling plants that she found her passion.
“I’ve always loved plants,” Jaime shares. “Although chains like The Home Depot and Armstrong’s are great stores, I wanted a place with a larger selection. I’m really into rare plants, for example, and there wasn’t anywhere in the Valley to buy them.”
So Jaime opened Greenwood Shop in Valley Village two years ago and ran a decent business until being forced to close due to the pandemic. Then, a surprise: “Turns out sales were good! People were trapped at home, and they had nothing to do, and they started watching our Instagram stories and buying plants.”
That success inspired Jaime to expand to a larger retail space on Ventura Place in Studio City. Now housed in a light, airy space with high ceilings, Greenwood Shop also sells home accessory items, small-batch locally produced food products, and beauty lines.
“As I see it, Greenwood is where plants and home decor intersect,” quips Jaime.
But the showstoppers are still the pristine verdant items. Customers can pick out a plant and a ceramic pot (or they can bring in their own) and a store employee will take it over to a potting bench and pot it. They also provide instructions about care.
Most of the plants are arranged on a living wall according to ease of care. Rare, tricky-to-grow houseplant varieties—which swath through the middle of the wall—include the pink princess and an unusual, variegated variety of monstera called albo monstera.
“But those aren’t for everyone. I always caution people not to buy the trickier varieties if you don’t want to keep your eye on them. There are plenty to choose from that you barely have to water, like the rubber plant,” notes Greenwood employee and resident plant expert Christian Beasley.
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