Leaf & Petal
Photo by Megan Smith.
0413 Leaf and Petal
Mark Thompson manages Leaf & Petal’s Mountain Brook Village location.
The store may be called Leaf & Petal, but store manager Mark Thompson said it’s all about the roots.
The plant shop located in Mountain Brook Village delivers an organized, fresh green environment to the area and only sells rooted plants.
Founded in 1974, the store has since swapped owners, but the focus on customer service remains unchanged.
“Customers really are the heart of this business,” Thompson said. “We get to know them one on one. We’re here for the high and low spots in life.”
Life correlates closely with plants, Thompson explained. Weddings are joyous occasions while illness and funerals are the sad events the store helps to decorate.
The dedication to customer satisfaction is what Thompson attributes to the business’ success.
“The customer comes first and the plants second,” Thompson said, “but really it’s the same thing because you can’t please customers without healthy plants.”
That’s why when he started managing the store eight months ago, he implemented an organized, clean atmosphere to guarantee plant health and store functionality.
Employees also work with customers to find the right plants and other items for whatever someone is looking to enroot.
“We meet the needs of the space,” Thompson said, “whether it’s a sunny window or a dark corner.”
Employees also find plants for a patron’s tastes, whether they’re looking for color or lush foliage. They also provide complete information, such as required watering, sunlight and life expectancy, for each plant sold.
“We don’t want to trick people into buying something,” Thompson said. “If I know the customer wants a longer lasting bloom, but is holding a flower that only lasts a few weeks, I’m going to tell them that.”
Not only does the team work toward implementing a patron’s design ideas, but there’s also staff devoted to making arrangements.
Premade and custom arrangements for any occasion start at $50. For custom displays, customers can come in, choose a decorative pot, and be lead through a series of questions about what type of event they are decorating for to what color and even how long they would like their plants to survive.
Returning customers can come in with a pot and ask questions about a new arrangement. The pot can still have a few favorites from a previous arrangement that will be worked around and trimmed for the new one.
Leaf & Petal also boasts a healthy workspace, keeping approximately 30 live air purifying plants.
“Just walking through here in the clean purifying air can make you feel better,” Thompson said. “And that’s a concept that can be brought home.”
Keeping fresh plants can make a house more inviting and alive, Thompson said.
Raising food at home is also something Leaf & Petal can provide whether it’s produce or chickens.
Thompson installed a chicken coop in late February and is using this spring to test sales. Not only can they be bought to lay eggs, but they are there for entertainment as well.
Leaf and Petal is also a store for a quick visit for a present. Hydrangeas in plastic liner pots, $16, are kept close to small ceramic pots ranging from $6.99-$25.99.
“These are great for gifts,” Thompson said. “They’re a relatively low price, but classy and nice.”
Gift certificates for $20 are given after every ($25) spot is hole punched on Petal Point cards. Thompson calls them “frequent flower cards” that work at all three store locations.
The store also sells select scents of Voluspa, Illume and Votivo tin candles ranging from $10-25. They will even complimentary custom wrap gifts and carry merchandise to the car.
