WADING RIVER, New York -- Since the pandemic began, more and more people have started filling their homes with houseplants.
For Ina Pollifrone-Visich, taking care of houseplants was something she had done since she was a kid.
She follows in the footsteps of her grandma, who has a growing collection of houseplants.
To this day, Pollifrone- Visich calls her grandma for plant mom advice.
It was not until the pandemic that she wanted to bring this passion to the masses, specifically to her yoga studio.
She launched The North Fork Plant Co. as little as a month ago, and her shelves are already emptying.
"I think it's the health and wellness and the whole green movement that is bringing us closer to nature," said Pollifrone-Visich. "You can't always be outdoors, and a lot of people don't always have the space to garden necessarily, so it's like the indoor garden that people are turning towards."
As soon as you walk into Solntse Yoga, you can find a unique selection of plants of all sizes to choose from. While browsing the selection, you can also enjoy a fresh matcha latte with their match bar.
"I bring new inventory every week," said Pollifrone-Visich. "All my yoga members are just super excited because the plants are so different not something that you find in your average store. Combining the green of the matcha bar together with the green of the plants, and wellness of physical/mental health."
Her studio is the perfect environment for her new inventory of plants.
The humidity and heat from the space allow the plants to stay hydrated and continue to grow.
Pollifrone-Visich is excited that she can combine her three loves under one roof and is excited for the warmer months to come, so she can collect more plants for her eager customers.
Contact Community Journalist Alex Ciccarone