Peace, Love, Joy—and Plants

How The Succulent Hippie Is Putting Down Roots Across The Susquehanna Valley

BY KAREN HENDRICKS PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO GESNER

Plants simply make people happy. And there’s one business taking root and spreading plenty of plant-y happiness across the Susquehanna Valley. It’s called the Succulent Hippie, but the name—and her career path—still makes small business owner Shannon Strevig laugh.

“I still can’t believe I opened a plant shop,” says Strevig, 25, of Hanover, York County. “As people are growing with plants I am too. What I know, I share with other people—we’re all growing together.”

The Succulent Hippie’s original Hanover location opened its doors a year ago, at the beginning of 2022. Filled with hundreds of gorgeous green plants—not just succulents, but leafy varieties too—the shop offers a full range of planting supplies including pots, soil, and lots of fun accessories, even apparel.

The shop’s popularity and following grew like a weed. Just eight months later, in August of 2022, the Succulent Hippie put down new roots, occupying the beautifully-lit, window-lined front area of Prussian Street Arcade in Lancaster.

“It’s very fun for us to expand to new people and give them a little taste of what the Succulent Hippie is all about,” Strevig says, admitting, “I don’t even feel like I’m working. It’s like a breath of fresh air when you walk in—you definitely can’t be mad around plants.”

Studies show that caring for plants and being around the color green is good for your health and wellbeing. And that’s how Strevig’s own journey with plants began.

She was one month away from graduating with her nursing degree when she fell down a flight of stairs and shattered her knee. Confined to bed, her leg in a cast, and not one to truly rest, Strevig considered her options for a bedside hustle. She dreamed up a side business creating succulent arrangements. Her mom faithfully delivered plants and soil, Strevig posted her creations to Facebook, and she discovered a big plant-y payoff.

The name of her business came out of the fact that she just happened to be wearing a tie-dye t-shirt the day she created the business.

Strevig never envisioned the Succulent Hippie growing into a full-time gig, but when her cast came off, doctors discovered her hip was broken as well—requiring surgery and a full additional year of healing, further postponing any hope of a nursing position.

At that point, she decided to go “all in” with plants, especially since she was realizing “plants helped me through depression, being bed-bound,” and her customers were also tapping into the healing nature of plants in their daily lives.

As Strevig’s body healed, she ramped up her business plans. When the Succulent Hippie opened its doors in Hanover, it already had a thriving customer base on Facebook. Strevig hit the ground running by offering a fully-stocked plant shop, along with plant workshops for bridal parties, businesses, or groups. Customers can also order plant-y party favors.

Today, with locations in both Hanover and Lancaster, the Succulent Hippie continues to branch out by offering team-building events focused on the symbolism of potting a plant, allowing for growth—and less stress— in attendees’ lives.

Strevig sees her own growth and career path, intertwined with her growing knowledge of plants.

“At first, it was the color of plants, then I started to like the style—if they were vine-y or tall. Then I fell in love with propagation,” says Strevig, explaining that propagation is basically taking a cutting from a plant to grow a new one. Pothos are especially easy to propagate, she says.

Interestingly, she feels as though her nursing background has helped her develop a caring, green thumb.

“I’m very passionate about plants, and two years ago I probably didn’t think a second about plants,” Strevig says through laughter. “But having a nursing background, I‘m always wondering why—‘Why does this plant do this, and why does this one do that?’”

When it comes to success, Strevig is diggin’ it. She’s currently searching for additional locations where the Succulent Hippie can take root through pop-up shops— one in the York area, and another just over the Mason Dixon line in Maryland.

Plants aren’t the only things thriving at the Succulent Hippie. Another offshoot of her success? Relationships and friendships.

“At the end of the day, this feels like a family, rather than a business,” Strevig says, “because plants bring people together.”

The Succulent Hippie

131 Broadway, Hanover, PA, 17331

Home store location

2200 Embassy Dr, Lancaster PA, 17603

Prussian Street Arcade location facebook.com/TheSucculentHippie

@thesucculenthippie