LEWISTON, N.Y. (WKBW) — Bringing unique and rare houseplants, the Plant Shack is home to many plants for shoppers to choose from.
It is all being handled by one Western New Yorker who went from serving her country to now serving her community.
Youngstown native, Rachel Stepien, has the magic touch to making your favorite houseplant flourish.
In the thick of the pandemic, the botanist opened up the Plant Shack in Lewiston, just one year after opening one in East Aurora.
It is essentially "the shack that gives back".
When asked what her favorite thing about gardening and plants are, Stepien said she found it relaxing and fulfilling.
"What I like to do is give back to those either rescues that deal with wildlife rehab, ecology and conservation. We love donating to saving the trees, saving the forests, animals things like that. I kind of like to link it that way. I know I'm not doing it on the frontlines but I like to do it in the background," The Plant Shack owner told Pheben Kassahun.
The easiest thing to plant, according to Stepien, is tycopocost.
"These guys you can see a little bit right now. They are droopy and they need water, so it's a type of telltale sign for people who don't really know when to water. This is when you really want to water," Stepien said.
While her love for plants dates back to her love for helping wildlife and her time in the United States Air Force, her disdain for winter weather is what sparked this houseplant and decor shop.
"I noticed when I came home from work and had a miserable day, driving home and I just walked inside and I saw all the green around my house. I just noticed how much happier I felt and a little less stressed. I thought, 'I couldn't be the only one who felt that way when they saw green during this time' so I thought bring it to the community," Stepien added.
The Plant Shack's mission is to give monthly tree donations, helping the turtle conservancy, ocean clean up and nursery pot program.
The USAF veteran adds that she hopes this shop can also provide an almost safe haven feel.
"You can come in here and relax a little bit. We do events for local rescues," she explained.
Stepien served in the United States Air Force Reserves from 2009 to 2015. She joined at the age of 23.
"I actually joined as an etymologist. With my zoology background and my love for wildlife, I thought that would be a cool switch. We worked closely with medical. If anyone got bit with anything, we would have to identify what they got bit by, do water surveys if there is an endangered species on bases, then we can relocate them to pests management to relocate pets of base," Stepien explained.
