Friends since grade school, Erin Olsen and Erica Howard are trying to bring plant enthusiasts together to learn, grow and enjoy plant care. More than building a business, they aim to build a community.
“It’s more of a vibe than just a retail shop,” Olsen said.
The pair created Collective Plant Co. in March 2025 and sold houseplants from a truck and at local markets until May 8, when they opened a brick-and-mortar at 115 N. Wisconsin St. in De Pere.
The business sells houseplants along with items from local creators at the store and online. These include pottery made in Manitowoc and plant hangers produced by Wildflower Workshop. They also offer workshops to help customers learn how to select and take care of their houseplants.
“We would love to give everybody an opportunity to kind of build on their creative sides and their careers through us,” Howard said.
Lifelong enthusiasts aim to cultivate community and wellness
Neither Howard nor Olsen have a degree in botany or any formal plant training. Both describe themselves as lifelong enthusiasts.
“We’ve been plant owners all of our lives,” Olsen said. “But we always say we are not professionals.”
Olsen previously worked at FedEx and now runs the shop full-time. Howard continues a role in health insurance. They started the business seeking a community-focused venture that supports mental health and moves beyond corporate monotony.
Olsen said her home looks like a jungle during winter, to trick her mind into thinking it’s nice out when it’s not.
Howard said many people like plants because caring for them is therapeutic and pulls them out of the digital mindset.
They recently started workshop sessions with participants building their own terrariums using plants and soil mixes supplied by the shop. They also offer repotting services at the storefront and in customers’ homes or small businesses, including help with plant disease or pest management.
The truck still appears at events including the De Pere Farmers Market and Ledgstone Winery, though the duo scaled back markets after opening the storefront. They collaborate with other small businesses and organizations, including Third Space, a nonprofit that offers support for black, indigenous and queer communities.
They also work with nearby plant shops and send customers elsewhere when needed.
“It’s not a competition,” Olsen said. “We don’t have everything here, we can help each other.”
For events, shelves can be cleared to accommodate the space for 15 to 20 people. Olsen and Howard rent the storefront for such gatherings and tailor activities to customers’ requests.
“I feel like in this day and age, there aren’t a lot of places to go and hang out,” Olsen said.
Future plans include fun activities, expansion, hiring staff and growing microgreens
Besides the workshop, the duo wants to establish the business and help more artists showcase their art at the shop.
At the same time, Howard and Olsen are exploring other ideas for fun activities, like bingo or yoga surrounded by plants.
Howard said they pay attention to what customers need and want. They will never run out of ideas, which Olsen said are always flourishing like adding a coffee station or offering mocktails.
Long-term plans include an expansion, hiring staff and starting to grow microgreens. Those plans are tied to the original business plan, they said. But for now, they will focus on growing the community.
“I feel like this will be our home base for quite a long time,” Olsen said.
For more information, visit collectiveplantco.com, or follow its Facebook and Instagram pages.
Ariel Perez is a business reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach him at APerez1@usatodayco.com or view his X profile at @Ariel_Perez85.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: New De Pere plant shop aims to grow community through workshops, events
Reporting by Ariel Perez, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Green Bay Press-Gazette
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By Ariel Perez, Green Bay Press-Gazette | USA TODAY Network
