Virgil’s Plant Shop is turning four years old — that deserves a party and two green thumbs up. Thankfully, the shop will make both a reality at its birthday block party this weekend. Let’s dig up the history behind Virgil’s, plus the details for the big celebration.
Editor Bella sat down with Virgil’s owner Reba Hamilton to learn what how they planted the seed for the plant shop.
Back to the roots
“So I was living in Brooklyn actually, and had been getting more and more into plants. I just really fell in love with it all and was learning as much as I could. I loved the challenge of trying to have a jungle in a tiny Brooklyn apartment with one little window,” Reba shared.
“I also had so much family (in Kansas city) I have a little niece now. It felt like I had a draw to finally come back to Kansas City. At the time, there were no boutique plant shops or anything, and I felt like that could be something that the city would really love and would work really well.”
Going mobile
It all started with a bus. The original Virgil’s Plant Shop bus can be seen at various events + stops throughout the month, or outside the shop’s brick and mortar location at 2763 Cherry St.
“I moved back in late December, right before Christmas of 2018, and bought a mini school bus in April. By July I opened it. I wanted to start out as a mobile shop also because I felt like I had been gone for 10 years and didn’t know the community very much anymore. A great way for the community to get to know me and my business again was to just be all over the place.”
Give it water, watch it grow
The current home is the shop’s second storefront in Kansas City, located right next to Peaches Vintage in the Union Hill area.
“By winter, another local business Seven Swans was opening. They had a little space in the back, they were wanting to do a rotating boutique in there. We got put in touch somehow and she asked if I would want to do that. That was perfect timing, because I couldn’t do the mobile tropical plants in the wintertime. Then I found a space right when COVID hit at 27th and Troost. Eventually, I wanted to sit down some roots on Cherry Street over here.”
Virgil’s Block Party details
To celebrate the growth and success of Virgil’s in just four years, the shop is putting on a block party for the community to enjoy.
Where: 2763 Cherry St., KCMO
When: Saturday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Shop: 25+ different local makers
Eat: Bites from Peaches Fry Bread and Brown Suga.
Try This: Get a new tattoo or a sparkly tooth gem.
