Meet Rachel Young | Plant lover

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

Hi Rachel, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have been surrounded by plants my entire life. I grew up working in my dad’s greenhouse, visiting my grandfather and uncles’ greenhouses, and surrounded by tons of plants in my home. I had always dreamed of having a store where people could come to relax and feel refreshed after being there and where everything was for sale. I walked into a tiny little store while on vacation in 2019 which was crammed full of plants and pots and I knew I wanted to open one of my own. So I came home, scouted out locations and we were open in December of 2019.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think what sets me apart from other businesses is that I am brutally honest with my customers, sometimes to a fault. I will tell people they should not buy certain plants for their homes, they can get those plants stands cheaper at Target, they really should never buy this rare item from me at my price point, and perhaps they have no business ever owning that big of a tree. It throws people for a loop at times but I think it also creates a level of trust with my customers. I mean, I’d love to make some money, but I really want people to buy things that will survive in their homes! It is challenging for me to be criticized. I have put my heart into my stores so it feels really personal when people are negative about them. I am learning to accept that some people are just not kind and I will never be able to make everyone happy.
I am so proud that my stores are a place of respite for people. I hear so often from customers that they come in just to feel refreshed and more alive. I am also proud that my employees like their job. I try really hard to create a safe place for them to work and where they feel loved and valued. I could not run my business without them. Their knowledge, enthusiasm, and creativity make my stores amazing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When my best friend comes to town we typically sit and chatter at each other, but if we had to leave the house I would insist on going to Zesty Thai for lunch, The Local Honey for a new outfit, A Likely Story for 15 new books, and Monse’s for dinner. We would take the kids to Palmer Lake to feed the ducks, visit the Jackson Creek Goodwill because it the best one in town, and probably go hiking somewhere in Cheyenne Canyon. We would probably do a girl’s night at Lumen8 rooftop patio and another night our at Uva Wine Bar. We would absolutely do the Silent Disco at Coati. I would definitely take her to brunch at Garden of the Gods Café (have you had their avocado toast??) but we would need to stop in at Homa at Kinship Landing to check out their plants and have lunch. I also love Covered Treasures bookstore in Monument and would eat, yet again, at Black Forest Foods Cafe & Deli. Then we would sit on my patio, read our books, drink our coffee, and love the weather.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My dad has always been willing to jump into any project he was passionate about, regardless of past failures. The older I get, the more I realize I am like my dad in that way. His enthusiasm apparently rubbed off on me to try new things and to put myself at risk for something I that I love.

Website: thelivingroomplants.com

Instagram: the_living_room_plants

Facebook: The Living Room