With rising rent and tariffs hitting the small business hard, Plantiitas, a plant shop on Retro Row, is asking for help to keep its doors open.
Last week, after talking with two employees who have been with the business since it opened in October 2020, co-owner Kevin Alcaraz said he decided to “put my pride to the side” and announce a fundraiser for the business on social media.
“We are not asking for a handout but asking to help us keep this dream alive,” Alcaraz and his husband, Anthony Diaz, wrote on the fundraiser. Any money raised will go toward the cost of rent, utilities and paying the shop’s employees, Alcaraz said.
Plantiitas has seen a drop in sales since February, around the same time tariffs imposed by the Trump administration began increasing shipping costs for the pottery they source from China and Mexico, Alcaraz said.
At the start of 2024, they sold a particular pot for $13. Now, they have to charge $22, Alcaraz said.
Summer is typically their slow season, as people usually spend more money on vacation rather than plants, but this summer has been unusually slow, Alcaraz said.
For the past few weekends, Alcaraz has made the drive up to Sacramento and San Francisco to participate in farmers’ markets on the weekends.
The trips have been profitable, but the long drives have also taken a toll on him.
“It’s been a hassle, but if I have to do it to keep it open, I will,” Alcaraz said.
The idea for the business sprouted from Alcaraz posting photos of his plants online during the pandemic.
Alcaraz, who grew up in Jalisco, Mexico, said both of his parents instilled in him a passion for growing things from a young age.
He said he doesn’t know how the tradition started, but “every morning it was go to the garden, water the plants, talk to them, have coffee there, so I’ve been around plants all my life.”
After making his first sale to a neighbor, Alcaraz saw a chance to create a plant store that doubled as a community space.
Plantiitas currently hosts everything from paint nights to yoga sessions and embroidery workshops. Every month, the shop has drag bingo and a mental health workshop that offers visitors an opportunity to meet a therapist in the shop.
Along with their fundraiser, Alcaraz and Diaz are asking the public to come to the shop’s gatherings, host an event with them, and share their Instagram with friends and family.
Alcaraz said he doesn’t have a timeline in mind for deciding whether or not to close the shop, but he is hoping to keep Plantiitas open for the holidays.
Plantiitas is at 2011 E. 4th St, Long Beach. See their store hours and more information at plantiitas.com.