Greenfield just got a little greener — The Greenhouse Co-Op has shelves filled with plants and hooks hanging with greenery.
It opened at the end of December.
“We’ve had an amazing turnout our first two weekends,” said Darien Higgins of the South Side, who co-owns the business with her brother William Higgins and his wife Tammy Lee of Brookline.
The trio said they moved from Texas in 2022 to start this venture because through their research traveling the country, they discovered what a great city Pittsburgh is to live and work.
“Pittsburgh has been unlike any other city we have visited or lived in,” William Higgins said. “It’s full of history, colorful characters and hopefulness. We really love being here.”
The botanical theme is throughout, from the green hues to the leaf-decorated wallpaper to the names of the high-quality small-batch cider sourced locally from Brown’s Orchard and Cider Co. in McDonald (it takes three to four weeks to brew cider).
Roots and Propagation are simple hard ciders with just apple and yeast, dry and semi-sweet, respectively. Other hard ciders include Will It Flower, which has apple cider, jasmine flowers and orange peel; Sleeping in the Flowers, which has chamomile and maple; and Morning Light, which has maple and hibiscus.
Beverages are made in-house by Darien Higgins and the tanks that hold 210 gallons each are visible inside the 800-square-foot space.
They also serve non-alcoholic options.
“This is a labor of love,” Darien Higgins said while wearing a green apron her grandmother sent as a grand opening present. “It is great to see people come in and see something they like. People are so friendly in Greenfield. We love that it is such a walkable neighborhood.”
Lee is a plant enthusiast. She said she chose plants that will do well in the Pittsburgh climate. She is working with three nurseries — The Plant Lady in Oakland, Perrico Plant Co. in Lawrenceville and Musselman Greenhouses in Adams County, Pa.
They carry various houseplant “families” such as begonias, cacti, philodendrons, ferns, ficus, peperomias, sansevierias, dracaenas and stromanthes. Some are pet-friendly plants.
Some houseplants may be more dramatic than others — but remember that they are all living specimens that can thrive under your care, Lee said, adding that there is an adjustment period when bringing a new plant into the home.
The Greenhouse is located on Greenfield Avenue inside the former Copper Kettle Brewing, which was next door and is set to open as Midnight Whistler, an English Pub.
Midnight Whistler is in the final stages of licensing, according to owner Ben Butler.
Darien Higgins said the hope is to partner with food trucks and also with Midnight Whistler once it opens.
The three have been renovating the space for about a year. Some customers are familiar with the business because they’ve been at various pop-up events selling plants at Alternate Histories and Stories Like Me in Greenfield, Amazing Books and Records in Squirrel Hill, Hazelwood Cafe, and several breweries.
They will be at Amazing Books and Records from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday on Forbes Avenue in Squirrel Hill.
“It was a long and arduous process,” said William Higgins. “But we worked with members from the Greenfield Community Association and state liaisons to bring the first cidery plant shop to Pennsylvania.”
Higgins and Lee’s neighbors, Michael and Courtney Parsons, stopped by Friday evening.
“This is light and refreshing and easy to drink,” said Michael Parsons, as he tried the Propagation cider. “It is really good.”
The couple also purchased a plant.
“I know the perfect spot for this,” Courtney Parsons said.
The Greenhouse owners believe they are the only business in the state selling cider and plants. What also makes this establishment unique is future employees can become co-owners.
”Greenfield is a true hidden gem and we are so lucky to be here,” Lee said. “We took a leap and here we are. The three of us are such a strong team and we each bring our skills to this business. We’ve rooted ourselves here.”
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The Greenhouse Co-Op is at 557 Greenfield Ave. in Greenfield.Hours are noon to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Details:greenhousecoop.com
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people and a weekly column about things to do in Pittsburgh. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.