Louis Easton, The Plant Mon

January 21, 2021
Los Angeles, CA

On a drive back home from a long morning spent at the park, my family and I noticed a pop-up shop selling plants in our neighborhood. With the kids in the back and often eager to get back home for lunch, it took me a few weeks to finally carve out time to check out and get to know more about this new neighborhood offering. This shop stood out to me because of the new creative ways people are approaching their businesses, and a way for me to connect with my community.

Meet Louis Easton, the shop-owner of The Plant Mon in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. When I finally got to meet Louis, I was struck by his approach to his business and how he carved out his own path that merges his passions for landscape design and plants.

Below is more from my time with Louis at his shop:

How has your relationship with plants changed over the years?

I’ve been working with nature since I was 9 years old, as my father, a horticulturist, would bring me along to nurseries and garden centers growing up. As I grew older, I pursued a passion for filmmaking, but I “always stayed close to the plants.” I had a 9-to-5 working in the water conservation industry. This led me to look into the farmers market and urban gardening industries, where The Plant Mon was eventually born. On weekends, with whatever free time available outside of the office job, I would setup at the South Central, Crenshaw and Atwater Village farmers markets to sell plants.

Can you talk a little bit of how The Plant Mon came to be?

After the pandemic hit, Easton Design was furloughed and forced to figure out how to make a living. I found inspiration in the elderly women I would see selling goods on the street. And — carefully so as not to infringe — I set up shop in front of my house to catch the eye of passing plant lovers.

Then it just took off like a spring chicken. People were DMing me through Instagram or Facebook whenever I would do a post. And because people were at home and were nervous, I brought the store to them.”

The plant business centers on education. Prior to the pandemic, I would host workshops through the L.A. Public Library and in local classrooms on healthy eating and drought-tolerant terrariums. With new customers.

If there could be one takeaway from someone visiting The Plant Mon, what would that be?

The Plant Mon walks through the mental and physical health benefits of owning houseplants, such as improved indoor air quality, The TLC Factor and mental stress relief. ●