New Plant Shop Coming To Riverwest

A new plant shop in Riverwest would embody all the best characteristics of the Milwaukee neighborhood — unique, community-oriented and chock-full of local pride.

Nick Reuland, owner of Riverwest Grown, has found a permanent home at 3379 N. Pierce St. for his pop-up plant shop with plans to open in early November.

Reuland has been growing the houseplant and garden-oriented business since 2020, when he began selling tomato seedlings and spider plants outside of his house on the weekends.

But his affinity for plants started long before that.

As a high schooler, Reuland lived with his family in Lake Geneva. If he wanted to use the car or go out with friends, he first had to pick a bushel basket of weeds from the large, backyard garden. He was also allowed to commandeer his own plot of garden space to grow what he liked, so long as he took care of it.

Inside the house was a different story, according to Reuland. “My mom did not do good with houseplants,” he said with a laugh in an interview. “She had plastic plants.”

As soon as Reuland moved out of his parents’ house, he started collecting house plants. “Since then, I’ve always had tons,” said Reuland, who at various points collected both orchids and bonsai trees, but now has a wide variety of thriving greenery. “No matter where I lived. It’s always been full of plants.”

As word spread about his new business, Reuland, a former MADDOCC employee, moved beyond his street corner, running pop-ups at Art*Bar, Soul Collective MKE, Riverwest Radio, For Martha and several area markets.

Reuland also pairs his plants with pots, which he finds at thrift stores, estate sales or just in the neighborhood.

“When I first started, most stuff was in just plain, black plastic pots. But then it didn’t seem like it’s sold as good,” he said. When he incorporated the upcycled pots, “people were really liking that. Especially the people of Riverwest, because that’s exactly what they want. It was unique, and it was reused, and it was affordable,” he added.

In true Riverwest fashion, creating the new store was a community effort.

Reuland likes to do things on his own, he said, but is appreciative of neighbors who dropped by with plant clippings, spare shelves, pots and more to contribute to the shop.

“The Riverwest community has been super nice to me,” Reuland said.

As a Riverwest resident himself, Reuland is a frequent walker and biker, and often finds boxes of free plants or flower pots, which he can’t resist.

“I would just pick them up,” he said. “I had a huge collection of pots when I started doing this, like a huge collection of pots in my basement just from over the years.”

Thanks to his resourcefulness and the Riverwest streets-of-plenty, Reuland is well-stocked on pots ahead of his shop opening.

He is also committed to offering his customers a truly Riverwest-grown experience by selling plants nurtured from clippings, seedlings or seeds here in Milwaukee, rather than sourced from a distributor.

“I highly enjoy growing stuff, whether it’s from seeds or clippings, and I don’t want to go to distributors,” he said. “Here and there,” the store may have to source a few items from distributors when they run short, but Reuland said he doesn’t plan to make it a habit.

“I want to be different,” he said. “I do not want to do the buy wholesale sell retail. That’s not the business plan I have.”

In addition to Reuland’s plants, the store will carry products from approximately 10 local artisans. Among the offerings will be plant hooks hand-made by a blacksmith, stained glass triangular plant holders, botanical-themed soaps, herb-infused candles, ceramic pots, garden aprons and pouches and landscape paintings.

Reuland said he wanted to include a variety of products at the store in order to attract a wider audience, as well as support local artists who may not be able to pay the commission in order to sell at larger stores throughout the city.

“I want people to know that if they come here, they could find something unique and different,” he said. “And a lot of the artists, their products won’t be available at other other stores.”

Reuland has been working day and night to get the shop, a former art gallery, ready to open. Throughout the past months, he has re-painted the walls and ceiling of the 1,000-square-foot space, replacing the previous heavy gray with shades of green and tan. He also put up shelves and constructed display tables from repurposed butcher blocks that had been left in the yard outside the shop.

He is also in the process of adding hanging plants in the entryway and front windows. The building has a spacious yard, where Reuland plans to build a second greenhouse (he also uses one on Booth Street), as well as benches and a gathering space to eventually host classes and workshops.

Reuland is waiting on one last permit before he can officially open the shop. He said he hoped to be open by Nov. 1, but may have to push back a few days. After that, the shop would be open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Updates and information about Riverwest Grown and featured products from local artists is available on the Riverwest Grown Instagram page.

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