Plant shop branches out
The House of Plants opened in Akron’s Merriman Valley in 1974, during the golden age of indoor plants.
Few homes were without a Creeping Charlie, Wandering Jew or spider plant back then, and the young shop thrived as baby boomers exercised their green thumbs.
The fad faded as lives became busier and the look of artificial plants improved, but the store owners learned to evolve.
”Like anything else, things come and go,” said Steve Giampapa, who co-owns the business with Betty Howell.
For 36 years, the partners have adapted to shifts in consumer tastes and shopping habits, dodged economic storms, and withstood dramatic changes to their neighborhood.
Today, the business is a florist (including wedding and event planning), a gift shop (candles to candy) and a commercial plant provider (from landscaping to maintenance).
Their recipe for success is no secret.
”We survived by diversifying,” Giampapa said.
