PlantMomma opens its doors

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This article was published 24/08/2020 (2071 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Villedo family jokes that since they opened PlantMomma, the North End’s newest plant shop, on Aug. 15, they’ve finally been able to use their living room once again.

Before, plants of all sizes and varieties filled the Villedo home. Dolly Villedo, also known as Plant Momma, would buy and propagate plants to sell, including the African mask — a hard-to-find plant that is challenging to reproduce independently.

PlantMomma, located at 803 Stella Ave., held its grand opening nearly two weeks ago. Hundreds of customers arrived, forming lines on the street outside the building. Some ordered from Skip the Dishes as they waited in anticipation. It was an optimal time for the Villedos to open PlantMomma, as gardening and plant care hobbies have surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s just the right place at the right time for us. We didn’t plan it. We didn’t know there was going to be a pandemic,” Benjohn, Dolly’s husband, told The Times.

The Villedos had built up a clientele on social media, using their house as a makeshift shop and turning their garage into a greenhouse, before opening the commercial space on Stella. Within a short period of time, PlantMomma gained a following the Villedo family did not expect.

The sense of community that was created when PlantMomma was operating out of the Villedos’ home followed them to their new location.

“(Customers) talk, there’s a lot of laughter … That’s one of the things that encouraged us, because people found it (to be) like stress relief,” Benjohn said. “It’s not just about plants. There’s a bigger picture here. It’s more healing.”

“It’s like a magical place for the plant hobbyist,” said Elaine Sauler-Tumbokon, the business consultant for PlantMomma.

Dolly’s passion for plants sprouted from a desire to clean the air in her family’s home. It was an issue the Villedos said they struggled with at multiple locations. Using plants to purify the air became a more sustainable and economic method than purchasing expensive machines. It just so happened to turn into a business idea, as well.

Dolly’s propagations could not keep up with the demand, so she started sourcing plants locally, and now orders from a number of suppliers.

“Propagation happens only with more rare plants,” Benjohn said.

“Someone coined us as the 7-Eleven of plants,” he added, implying that PlantMomma carries numerous options.

PlantMomma is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. PlantMomma can be found on Facebook and Instagram. For plant care tips, visit plantmomma.ca