From left, Melissa Roberts, Frayser and Odin Micou, Suzy Brockmann (Photo by Jay Paul)
At Gather Home and Garden (gathergarden.com), the forest of potted plants and the scents of essential oils present an experience rarely found in a gardening store.
Gather, 2704 E. Marshall St., specializes in plants, plant supplies and art. The Church Hill business closed for a remodel at year’s end and reopened in February, sharing space with Pan Natural Goods (pannaturalgoods.bigcartel.com), a manufacturer of products including soaps and perfumes.
Melissa Roberts and her husband, Frayser Micou, opened Gather in April 2016. Roberts, who has a background in retail and a degree from VCUarts, found her work with art helped her create a vision for the gardening store. “I realized that I’m essentially curating plants like art, and I think it’s helped shape what the store is now,” she says.
Roberts and Pan Natural Goods owner Suzy Brockmann say they want to provide a personal and helpful experience to customers. To achieve those goals, Roberts leads workshops on plant care and basic informational sessions for interested growers.
“As we approach[ed] our one-year anniversary, it became clear that there was a need for a shop like this,” Roberts says. “The general public was really interested in plant ownership but didn’t know where to start. We’re happy that we’re here to help.”
The renovation work restructured the storefront and provided a mixing lab where Brockmann creates most of her products. The work was done by the owners and friends, with little outsourcing. “I think DIY has a whole new meaning to us now,” Roberts says. “It was fun and a bit crazy, but we got a lot of positive feedback when we reopened.”
Their merchant neighbors have been supportive. “The stores around here really inspire us,” Brockmann says. “And being in Church Hill, we’ve found a community of stores that is really rich, and we’re just growing together.”
