Shopper’s Diary: A Drugstore-Vintage Vibe at Solabee Flowers in Portland - Gardenista

Shopper’s Diary: A Drugstore-Vintage Vibe at Solabee Flowers in Portland - Gardenista
Photography by The Weaver House courtesy of Solabee.
There are many cool plant shops in Portland, Oregon but not many of them are housed in an old drugstore from 1910 complete with original tiled floor, double-height windows, and a mezzanine floor overflowing with unusual specimens.
The shop may look fresh and bright now, but it wasn’t always like that.
Alea and partner Sarah Helmstetter went into business together in 2008 after both were laid off from floristry jobs.
Plants have always been part of Solabee’s offering.
A whole section of the shop is given over to mounted staghorn ferns, which Solabee also sells online.
“Floral is finally cool again,” says Alea.
Floral is popular, but plants are king.
Solabee sells a selection of Tillandsia air plants online for $10 and up, depending on size and variety.
Every customer goes home with a set of plant-care instructions.
More people will think about how can we integrate an interior greening system into the design of our office spaces and homes,” she says.
Air plants are still a firm favorite.
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