Grounded Plant Company and The Exhilaration of Pioneering Downtown

“We really didn’t consider anywhere else except for downtown,” said Morgan Walker, co-owner of Grounded Plant Company. “We weren’t seeking anywhere else, we knew we wanted to be here.”

The Downtown area has a way of drawing people to it, even if it hasn’t always been the heart of Jackson. Over the past few years, Downtown Jackson has gained traffic because of people like Morgan Walker and Hope Cunningham, owners of Grounded Plant Company. Originally, Grounded was located on Airways Boulevard when they first opened, but now they have relocated just a mile down the road to East Lafayette street. Simply moving into the center of downtown has given them twice the foot traffic as before. 

Morgan and Hope started this business with only $1000 each and have grown very organically, making this business rewarding for them to be a part of. This started from them simply growing plants out of their house during Covid lockdown in 2020. They quickly realized houseplants could be a business that could gain good traction in Jackson. As they started doing small popups, the growth came quickly, encouraging them to open their physical space. 

The hardest part about opening a business downtown is knowing the right people, in the right places. Their new business required a lot of inquiring on their own and continually asking over and over. Morgan and Hope see a large need for buildings to be open to people renting their spaces and advertising their spaces for business owners to see as available. 

“It’s nice to meet new people and it’s nice to see diversity down here and it’s very rewarding to make it feel inclusive for everybody. Feeling the inclusion is important downtown because it can be cliquey,” said Hope. “The most challenging part is extending this inclusivity out beyond downtown too.” 

Morgan and Hope have contributed to the community downtown by selling plants, doing plant installations, offering their space for people to rent out, and hosting events and auctions. As their business grows, it continues to be a source of joy and reward, both mentally and financially. 

“Plants are worth something and I feel like that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves when people come in and are a little sticker shocked,” said Morgan. “Being niche is often overlooked. Plants are not just stock on a shelf, we have to keep them alive during the days of the week, and they can be so therapeutic and fulfilling.”

Because downtown is an up and coming area, Grounded has had the privilege of playing a part in shaping downtown into what the community wants it to be. This gives them a sense of pride and hopefully will motivate others to be a part of this movement. 

“My favorite part is the fact that we are visionary people,” said Hope. “Downtown hasn't fully developed into what it’s going to be eventually so the fact we got our foot in early is kinda exhilarating.”