Photo by Ben Slowey
Nick Reuland - Riverwest Grown
Nick Reuland, owner of Riverwest Grown
The Riverwest neighborhood brims with spectacular gardens, making it the ideal place for plant shop Riverwest Grown (3379 N. Pierce St.). Owner Nick Reuland wholesomely curates his space with a vast selection of plants covering the spectrum from the simple to the extraordinary, complemented by his eco-friendly approach of repurposing pots and containers into plant homes. Riverwest Grown is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“I get all kinds of people in here,” Reuland affirms. “I get people who don’t have any plants, and people who have more plants than I do.” Stepping inside Riverwest Grown, one quickly finds themselves immersed in a lush maze of many shades of green. Being in the midst of all the growing things can be nourishing to one’s spirit. Beyond the flora, overlooking the many rows of healing stones at the counter, is a stylish Riverwest Grown banner designed by artist Bre Legan.
All kinds of indoor plants can be found at Riverwest Grown whether they be small, large, tropical, hanging, variegated, flowering or cat-safe. Bestsellers are typically the easiest-to-care-for ones like pothos and peace lilies, which Reuland makes an effort to have many different varieties of. In the rear yard is a small greenhouse that housed about a dozen color varieties of poinsettia this past winter. Among the rarities at Riverwest Grown are dorstenias, monstera albo, Madagascar elephant trees, zig-zag plants, Australian bottle trees and many kinds of cacti.
Flourishing Outdoor Garden
Springtime means the shop’s outdoor garden flourishes with herbs, vegetables, trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials. “That whole yard is way bigger than the shop.” Reuland says. “Mother’s Day is very busy.” Daffodils, mums, iris and azalea are among current offerings for sale. Many fruit and vegetable seeds, including more than 35 varieties of tomato seeds, can be purchased as well.
Photo by Ben Slowey
Riverwest Grown - Interior
The counter at Riverwest Grown with tumbled stones and potted bamboo on display
No plant shop would be complete without all the gardening paraphernalia required for proper plant care. Riverwest Grown carries a huge number of handmade ceramic and upcycled pots as well as various mulch and soil options, perlite and rice husks, plant hooks and trellises—anything one might need. Other fun merchandise includes shirts and apparel, Enter the Earth gemstones, and plant-centric artwork and soaps.
Reuland has loved plants for as long as he can remember. “Some of the first things I bought when I moved out of my parents’ house were plants,” he recalls. “I was really into orchids. and I gardened a lot and grew lots of tomatoes.”
|
|
When Covid hit, Neuland set up a corner stand outside his Riverwest home to sell tomato plants. He subsequently joined community events like the Riverwest Farmers Market and Art Bar’s Great Riverwest Rummage Sale. “I quit my job in 2022,” Reuland continues. “I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do, but I did do markets for most of the summer, and then at one market, someone brought up this building and gave me the landlord’s number.”
Prior to Riverwest Grown the building had been the landlord’s photography studio. Reuland officially opened the shop in late 2022. While he initially grew all the plants on the property himself, Reuland’s penchant for harder-to-find items obliged him to buy from local wholesalers. “There’s people who grow some pretty rare plants who come in here, and I’ll buy their excess sometimes,” he notes.
To get in touch, contact Riverwest Grown at riverwestgrown@gmail.com or follow them on Instagram.
