A new shop has put down roots in Dallas' Deep Ellum: Called Fibonacci Plants, it's a plant store, offering everything from cactus and tropical plants to large statement pieces like a tall Dragon Tree or Large Monstera.
The shop, which opened in late November in the former Dallas PinUp building at 2928 Main St. #102, is from Jeff Roberts, who is pursuing a passion.
“I spent 10 years in tech startups, but I always have had a passion for plants, and it turned into a dream of having a plant shop,” Roberts says. “After being laid off earlier this year, it was like, ‘Now’s the time.’ It was something I had always thought about doing so it was like, ‘What better time than to do it now?’”
Partnered with his mother, Angie Davis, Roberts initially operated Fibonacci Plants as a pop-up inside Amor Y Queso, a charcuterie business just doors down from the Dallas PinUp shop, which closed in January 2023 after a decade.
Their success with the pop-up revealed that there was a market for what they were doing.
"It was one area where there are some plant shops around, but I felt like there was still a lacking piece to the plant community,” Roberts says. “Just the foot traffic that we get at this location is amazing. There's tons of tourists that come through and the local neighborhood has been super supportive."
Their main thing is house plants, although they also sell candles, a few gifts, and a variety of pots that include some custom-made pieces as well as humorous 3-D pieces depicting, for example, a human torso.
"We try to keep a pretty wide assortment of the regular houseplants that everyone knows and enjoys, but also we try to bring in as many lesser-known varieties,” Roberts says.
They've also recently added flowers for a do-it-yourself bouquet station.
"Fresh flowers have been a common request from customers, so we've started bringing in roses, eucalyptus leaves, with a situation where you can build-your-own," he says.
One major aspect that sets Fibonacci Plants apart from nearby shops such as Jade & Clover and Ruibals is Roberts’ plan to offer workshops after the first of the year.
"Different workshops like potting a plant to building a terrarium to even sewing,” Roberts says. “It doesn't even have to be a plant-related workshop. It's just going to be kind of a community space that different groups could use for workshops or events."
Information and education is a big part of the mission of Fibonacci Plants. Roberts hopes to share knowledge on plant care and help customers become savvy about what he calls “Plant Parenthood."
“What we find is that customers are putting in too much care with their plants,” he says. “They say, ‘Oh, it looks droopy,’ and they end up overwatering it or giving it too much light. So it’s really just to kind of re-engage and educate them of what plants really need. Every environment is different and what you read online might not match your environment perfectly so we want to make sure they have the right information.”