CHICO >> One day at her downtown plant shop, Sheng Vang noticed a man looking unsure. When she asked if he needed anything, he told her he’d been feeling down — and a friend had suggested her shop might help lift his mood.

“I was really touched,” Vang said. “I want our space to be a place where everyone feels invited.”

Sheng Vang and her husband, Vang Thao, opened Vang’s Plants and Succulents for one simple reason: They love plants. While their focus was to run a successful business, Vang said the business became a place people often turn to when needing an emotional pick-me-up. When customers walk into her fresh, earthy-smelling shop — decorated with dozens of hanging paper cranes — they often find themselves able to set aside whatever might be bothering them, she added.

Their names may appear confusing at first — Sheng’s last name is Vang, while her husband’s first name is Vang — but it’s a coincidence rooted in Hmong naming traditions. Sheng explained that taking a husband’s last name is uncommon in Hmong culture, but now that she is with him, she is deemed part of the Thao clan. Vang is a common surname but also a familiar first name for men, like her husband.

The spouses agree their customers are one of their favorite aspects of the job.

“People come in to share and vent,” Vang said. “Some of our customers have become really good friends.”

Fostering that person to person connection is a priority for Vang. While she said she aims to keep her prices low for her many college attending customers, she can’t compete with big box stores. What she can offer is one-on-one plant consultations free of charge.

Vang encourages customers to check in with her on plants they buy with any questions. Even if someone is struggling with a plant they didn’t buy from her, she said they can message her on Instagram for advice.

For those who are new to plants or who say they have a black thumb, she recommends snake plants and ZZ plants as low maintenance options. These do well in low-light environments and only need watering about once a month, she said.

“I’m like, ‘Whenever you have to pay a monthly bill, water that guy,’” Vang said with a laugh.

For gifts, she recommends money trees, which are said to bring good fortune to those who receive them.

Journey

Often, customers will come to Vang and tell her they are bad with plants. She then tells them she started out that way, too, and had to learn how to care for plants when she became a teacher at a Montessori school. Plants are a big part of classroom atmosphere in Montessori education, she said.

“I had to learn very quickly what plants will do well in a portable classroom with very minimal natural light,” Vang explained. “That’s when the obsession began.”

When the pandemic hit, Vang and Thao began selling plants in their backyard. During this time, Thao was laid off from a sales job and Vang was teaching online. With more time at home, they dove into the business — and quickly needed a storefront. They operated out of a small shop near Cohasset Road until they opened their current downtown shop in June 2021.

“I love the energy,” Vang said about downtown. “I love being close to the university. Downtown just has so much to offer.”

Vang continued to teach while helping at the shop, until going full time into her business in 2022. Vang and Thao have three sons, two of whom are in high school and often work with them at the shop.

In addition to offering a wide variety of houseplants, cacti and succulents, the business also sells eucalyptus and lavender shower bundles during Thursday Night Market. Each Thursday morning, Vang sources fresh eucalyptus from a Hmong farmer she knows and gathers lavender from her own backyard to handcraft the bundles. They’re designed to hang in the shower, releasing a calming, aromatic steam as the water runs.

The shop also offers a variety of workshops, including stained glass making; a “Paint, Sip and Pot” session, where participants enjoy boba while painting and potting plants; and a terrarium-building class. They also offer private events for special occasions.

Vang’s Plants and Succulents also offers on-site plant consultations and potting services. For $45, customers can book a 30-minute visit to their home, office or business for personalized plant recommendations, with discounts on in-store purchases.

Add-ons like delivery, staging and repotting are available for an extra fee. Repotting prices start at $3 and go up depending on the size of the pot.

Whether customers seek help picking the right plant or need guidance keeping one alive, Vang’s approach is rooted in encouragement and understanding.

“We don’t judge people,” Vang said. “Even if they come in and they’re like, ‘Oh, you know, I’m a horrible plant parent,’ or like, ‘I would kill everything’ — there’s no judgment there. I just tell folks, ‘You just haven’t found the right one yet.’”

Vang’s Plants and Succulents is open Tuesday noon to 5 p.m., Wednesday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday noon to 7 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is closed Monday. Their shop is located at 116 Broadway St. in Chico.

Reach Molly Myers at mmyers@chicoer.com