We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Austin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I opened Mrs. Fancy Plants at the beginning of COVID-19. When I was buying my own plants, all of the shops were 15 or more miles from me, making it a long journey to and from the plant shop. When I started Mrs. Fancy Plants, I wanted to offer a plant shopping option on my side of town. My hope is to make unique and healthy houseplants and florals accessible and convenient for my community!

What should our readers know about your business?
Mrs. Fancy Plants is a boutique plant shop that specializes in semi-rare and rare houseplants. I think my business is set apart from other small plant shops because of my location. I started this business out of my house at the beginning of COVID, so it was a bit unique right out of the gate! One of my first challenges was storing inventory, so I turned my son’s bathroom into a makeshift greenhouse and that’s where my babies live right now! Since I don’t have a storefront (yet!), I started selling plants on my website shop and scheduling pick-ups or deliveries for each order. This way of shopping has its challenges because my business is out of my house and people often expect to drive up to a shop with a parking lot. I will say that I was able to make more personal connections with my customers selling online and using pick-up or delivery. That allows me time to include a personalized note with care instructions specific to what plant they purchased. After getting a loan from a friend, I had a custom shed built in my backyard that I will use for a little plant shop while I continue to grow! My hope is to be able to open a storefront in the fall and keep sharing my love of plants with the community!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Plant shopping – obviously! A few of my favorite plant shops that I would share with a friend from out of town are ReRoot, Little Eden, The Plant Garage, and The Plant Room! Each of these little shops has its own unique vibe and a lovely selection of plant babies! After my love of plants is my love of food, so next on our itinerary would be a trip to my favorite Irish Pub, Clancy’s that has THE best Beef stew in Colorado! Another favorite spot of mine to take friends from out of town is Red Rocks. The amphitheater is gorgeous, the workout is intense and the views are totally worth the trip to the top – and if you can catch a concert there, even better!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shoutout the Colorado Girl Gang Facebook group! There are so many strong women in that group that have helped boost and support my small business!

Website: www.mrsfancyplants.com

Instagram: mrs.fancy.plants

Facebook: mrsfancyplants

Image Credits
Headshot photos: Blue Flame Studio Co.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.