New outdoor plant shop opens in downtown SLO. Take a look inside
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- Understory Plant Shop opened May 9 along the creek in downtown San Luis Obispo.
- Founder Samantha Huntley transitioned from project management to plant retail.
- Shop offers house plants, local artisan goods and plans to host community workshops.
A new outdoor plant shop has taken root alongside the creek in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Understory Plant Shop opened earlier this month at 740 Higuera St., and while it’s not in a traditional brick-and-mortar spot, its owner Samantha Huntley said she enjoys the outside ambiance that matches the store’s name.
“Most of our house plants in the wild live in what is called the understory of a forest — that’s their natural habitat,” Huntley told The Tribune. “In two different spots in the shop there’s some tree coverage and it feels like you’re in the understory of a forest.”
While Huntley has always been a plant enthusiast, she worked as a project manager for a variety of companies for most of her career so far. Feeling burned out by a classic desk job, she said she wanted to find some freedom and peace in her life.
She turned to plants.
“Any chance I had to get up from my desk for a break, I would be tending to my plants,” she said. “I decided that I wanted to quit my job and try something on my own.”
In 2023, Huntley started Happy Plant Company, which included interior plant design, landscaping and selling house plants at local markets and pop-ups.
When The Secret Garden Organic Herb Shop moved from its creekside spot to 2050 Parker St. in October, Huntley jumped on the “dream location” for her first plant shop.
She had a little help from Secret Garden owner Kirsten Sherritt as well.
“I got really excited,” she said. “She connected me to the landlord, and I got busy working to open it.”
Understory Plant Shop opened May 9, and beyond its large collection of house plants, it sells pottery, pillows and jewelry from local creators, including tea from The Secret Garden — a callback to the Sherritt’s tea shop’s legacy in the spot.
“If my business is successful, a big part of that is credited to her having held this space for so long, and she was such a staple in the community,” Huntley said. “I’m constantly having people come by looking for her, then discovering me. I’m excited to keep her legacy alive with a small selection of her teas.”
Huntley said she hopes for Understory to turn into a community gathering space too. She plans to host workshops, with the first being about basket weaving at the end of May.
For more information
Understory Plant Shop is at 740 Higuera St.
It is open Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. during Farmers’ Market, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To reach the outdoor plant shop, visitors can walk through Mission Mall at 746 Higuera St. then turn left, or from Broad Street, Huntley said.
For more information, call 805-242-2484 or visit its website.
This story was originally published May 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM.