The Greenhouse sprouts dream into reality for Sycamore couple

SYCAMORE – When Kailey Rorer started designing the interior of her new business, she wanted the space to look comfortable and inviting.

“I wanted a space that you could walk into and your shoulders relax,” she said. “I wanted the style to be something you’d want in your own home.”

Rorer and her husband, Troy Rorer, own The Greenhouse, 265 W. Peace Road, Suite 108, in Sycamore. The plant shop opened for business on April 23. The store’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.

In the past, the building was used as a cleaners and a gym. The Rorers spent the past few months renovating the shop’s interior themselves. Kailey painted all of the shop’s murals.

“I think that the murals really showcase the space,” Troy Rorer said. “It’s a space you can come into and relax, with tall ceilings and greenery all around. I don’t think there’s really anything else like it in the area.”

In addition to selling houseplants and pots, The Greenhouse will sell gift-able items, including candles and jewelry. And plants abound, of course. The space is outfitted with dozens of varieties of house plants, from succulents and cacti competing for sunlight in the shop’s floor-to-ceiling front windows, and vining plants hanging from rods above tables adorned with leafy, potted plants and trees. On Saturday, a grand opening welcomed new customers into the cozy space. To the left of the front door hung a full wall of propagations: Plant cuttings waiting to grow and be repotted.

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Kailey Rorer, owner of The Greenhouse, 265 W. Peace Road in Sycamore, sprays the cuttings on the propagation wall Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at the store. The Greenhouse will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, April 23. The store will sell houseplants, plant stands, pots, and other giftable items. The Greenhouse is owned by Kailey and Troy Rorer of Sycamore. Business hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com)

“I’ve always loved gifting plants, because you give someone you love something that will grow,” Kailey Rorer said. “We’re proud of the variety of plants we’re able to provide. We have different types of cactus, houseplants, fig trees, hoyas, pothos, snake plants, hanging plants, floor plants, tabletop plants. Big and tiny, we have every type of variety, no matter what size you’re looking for.”

Kailey also said that the plants are hassle-free and manageable for any level of plant parent, as long as they receive sunlight and weekly watering. Each plant also comes with a sticker which says how much water or sunlight it might need.

“All of the plants are pretty easy to keep alive, even for notorious plant killers,” she said. “Everything we have here, you can easily take it home and grow on your own. I always recommend ‘Water Wednesday,’ watering once a week and checking on plants as needed throughout the week.”

The Greenhouse can also be used as an event space for showers, cocktail parties and as a photoshoot location for photographers. Kailey described certain locations in the shop, such as the coach and wicker egg chair, as “Instagrammable spots.”

In the future, workshops on a variety of different topics, such as making floral bouquets and candles, will be held at The Greenhouse.

Kailey said that starting a plant shop was her husband Troy’s idea.

“I have a big passion for space, and Troy has a big passion for plants, so this shop was a vision for the both of us,” Kailey Rorer said. “I’m a mural artist, and Troy has always loved plants.”

Troy said that a contributing factor was the pandemic and being stuck at home. His full-time job is in medical sales.

“During the pandemic is when we decided we wanted to open our own business,” Troy said. “At one point and time, I had more than 150 plants growing at home. Opening a plant store is something I’ve always wanted to do.”

The couple’s three children, 8-year-old Ava Rorer, 6-year-old Gracie Rorer and 4-year-old T.J. Rorer, have also been involved with the store’s renovation. Kailey jokes that her daughters are her PR team.

“They’ve been telling everyone about the shop and are very excited about it,” Kailey said. “Opening the store has been our dream. I think that it will have a very positive impact on our kids, because they’ve been watching the process since the beginning. I think it shows them that you can achieve anything. I hope it will inspire them, so that they can go after their own dream themselves.”