Our Daily Show Interview! NAGBC Spotlight: Logo It & Green Lens!
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ALTON - Whether you want houseplants, plant accessories, or yoga classes, GreenLens in Alton might be the spot for you.
Located at 2511 B State Street in Alton, GreenLens opened in March. The experience has been “transformative” for owners Hunter and Katie, who expressed their appreciation for the Alton community and their excitement to continue growing the business.
“It’s a very aesthetic business,” Hunter said. “We try to have things look good and feel good in the shop. We put a lot of effort into creating a nice, cool space.”
A year ago, six team members came together to start GreenLens. They have a major online presence at their website, and they also host live sales on the Palmstreet app.
But people can always pop into their shop in Alton, browse, and meet Katie, Hunter and their “beloved” store mascot, Carl the golden retriever. Katie noted that people come from far away to check out the store for themselves, and they’re always eager to welcome these folks and share the store and the city with them.
“Some of those people come to visit from near and far, some from as far as California, some from northern Illinois, Iowa. They come and kind of make a day in Alton,” she explained. “It’s all about sharing the plant love and the Alton love.”
In addition to selling houseplants and accessories from national and international vendors, the store often hosts classes. Hunter said their environment is “aesthetically pleasing and calming with the plants,” making it an ideal spot for yoga, meditation and other similar activities. They are open to working with any instructors who approach them about hosting a class at the shop.
While GreenLens has been opened with “the most love,” Katie said, she and Hunter acknowledged that owning a business has its challenges. They are thankful to organizations like the North Alton-Godfrey Business Council (NAGBC) and other similar groups for their efforts to cultivate community in the Riverbend region.
“It’s been a whirlwind of good things,” Hunter said. “We’ve really grown and done more than we ever expected in our first year. It’s also been super hard. I think I can speak for me and Katie, this is the hardest thing we’ve ever done by far.”
As the shop acclimates to its new spot in Alton, Hunter and Katie encourage people to come out and see their products and “fun vibe” for themselves. Hunter said that the shop is full of “carefree, happy plant people” who love to chat and connect, and the six owners are eager to share their experiences with the Alton community.
“Our name, GreenLens, is all about the idea that plant people or people in general have a lot of different lenses that they look through or look at life through,” Hunter added. “Up at GreenLens, whether you’re new, you’re experienced, you’re indoor or outdoor, whatever your lens of plants is, we’re here to talk to you. We love plants. Just come to the shop and nerd out with us. Talk plants. We’d love to see you.”
For more information about GreenLens, visit their official website at GreenLens.shop or their official Facebook page. To learn more about the North Alton-Godfrey Business Council, check out their official website at NAGBC.com.
