How We Started
In 2017 John and I set out to renovate a 100 year old building into a coffee shop. We were still learning about how colors, patterns and materials could create a warm, peaceful space where our community could rest, be inspired, and feel at ease. We became obsessed with the process of placemaking and found ourselves in awe of what plants could bring to a space.
The first plants that we adopted included a rubber tree, zz, and an aloe vera. Plants became an important part of bringing new life into the space for our community.
Over the next 2 years our plant collection grew. We constantly rearranged the space to accommodate the new plants. If there was one lesson we learned early it was that there is always more room for plants.
It seemed like no matter what we had going on in our personal lives and home, we always put our energy into making the coffeehouse perfect. For the longest time we did not have a kitchen table, chairs, or even our own coffee table. We could have easily bought other furniture after we moved everything to the shop but it honestly did not cross our minds. We were obsessed with creating a space for our community and it did not feel like a sacrifice. We gave until we were empty and then started giving out of emptiness.
We figured if we made that space as beautiful as it could be it would be okay that our own home wasn’t serving us because at least that space was being enjoyed by others.
This mindset left our homestead second best and in return, our hearts.
After 7 years in Martin, Tennessee and almost 3 years at the shop, we decided to invest in ourselves. We needed to be filled up. The truth is when you give out of emptiness you will always feel unfulfilled. No matter how great the shop was or the thousands of customers we served we still felt empty. We could not break the pattern of giving everything we had to the shop. So we moved.
In February 2020 we moved to a new apartment in a new town with bare white walls and a fresh start. We needed to build a home again, so we bought a plant. Two months after adjusting to our new home, COVID-19 shut down the world and in turn, our business.
We were no longer able to be open or even work. Our shop was empty, distant, and bringing joy to no one. We turned to what was familiar to cope with our world seemly coming to an end. In the face of panic and uncertainty of losing everything we turned to what we knew best, placemaking.
We thrifted for vintage furniture, leather and glass pieces, and soon added twice as many plants to our little apartment than were ever at our downtown coffee shop.
Our bare walled, empty space was now brimming with life. In a world where our doors were shut, we were able to create something in our home open and thriving.
Eventually, the coffeehouse doors opened again, and a few months later we decided to share what we had learned about creating a home with the shop.
We put prices on some since there were too many for even the shop to hold, and customers scooped them up! We brought over more from the apartment and more sold! People could not get enough of our plants who had been so carefully loved and raised. We got requests to curate other types of houseplants, and suddenly, we realized we had found a viable way of filling the financial gap that COVID sales had left us with. These plants were not only bringing our community a new energy, but our quarantine obsession had actually become our salvation.
Now we spend our time propagating, raising more babies, fulfilling order requests, designing Fiddle and Clay merch, traveling for pop-up events, and even hosting flower bar events. We have a 10x10 space in the coffeehouse, an upstairs plant worship, a florist license, a greenhouse license, a growing list of plant guides we’re drafting, a selection of t-shirts and stickers, a full-time manager, and a love for the people who love our plants. We are so grateful for this grounded space we’re in.