Taking a look at the pop-up plant shop in uptown Waterloo

Luckily for me, and anyone else who’s found themselves looking to flex their green thumb, a new store recently opened up in Waterloo that taps into this growing trend. 

Lately, it seems that plants have been enjoying a boom in popularity. 

In 2019, HuffPost published an article titled “Why Millennials Are Suddenly So Obsessed With Houseplants” that breaks down a widespread obsession with plants that have been fueled by online apps like Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok. 

I can admit that I’m slowly starting to become that person. I have a collection of plants that I have no intention to stop expanding any time soon and an emotional attachment to each one that I’ve brought into my home. I’ve become preoccupied with the best sunlight spots to leave them in, the ideal watering routine for each one and finding just the right Spotify playlist to put on to help them grow. 

What can I say—quarantine enabled my new infatuation with plants. 

Kristy Skelton and her business partner Jamie Lee opened Homecoming X Talula Fields on Sept. 4. Their storefront is a temporary plant pop-up shop in uptown Waterloo, offering customers a varied selection of different plants to choose from. 

The shop has provided them with the opportunity to advertise for Skelton’s DTK ‘downtown Kitchener’ boutique flower farm start-up, Talula Fields, and has helped them connect with the local community over a shared love of houseplants. 

“We stumbled upon this space—[it] was advertised for pop-ups — and we thought, let’s expand this a little bit maybe and just have a nice time, and bring some vibrancy to the community with plants,” Skelton said. 

“People are still shopping for plants and [they’re] something that’s nice for your home right now when you’re spending a lot more time [there]. So we just spiraled and here we are, we’re a plant shop.”

Although the duo is only contracted to stay in their current location until Oct. 5, depending on evolving COVID-19 regulations and the dynamics of their spot in Uptown, they’ve thoroughly enjoyed their brief stay.

“People are really excited and they want us to stay and we want to stay, we’ve had an amazing time. We’ve been busy every day, busy all the time, so it’s been a very fun experience,” Skelton said. 

Homecoming X Talula Fields quickly became popular, attracting over 300 followers on their Instagram page since opening and busy store hours that include repeat customers. 

“It has been absolutely amazing, we’ve been busy every single day, often we have a lineup,” Skelton said. 

“We had a lot of interest from university students, we’ve actually had a lot of interest from folks who have moved in for mostly tech jobs. They’ve moved into condos around here who have also come out to say ‘I usually go out to a nursery, but it’s far away and I don’t drive so this is amazing to have around the corner from us’.”

Skelton attributes the budding craze and fascination with purchasing and owning houseplants, at least in part, with people wishing to become more eco-friendly. 

“For me, I think it’s important to recognize that people are getting back to earth. They’re learning how to cook their own food, grow their own vegetables, looking for more eco-conscious options when they’re shopping and I think that plants hit that for a lot of things,” Skelton said. 

“You don’t need to buy decor that’s going to go out of style or made of plastic … if you buy a plant, you’re getting an air purifier, you’re getting a beautifier, you’re getting something you can learn to nurture and grow.”