Westfield Plant Shop Blends Nature and Community in New Six-Acre Space

Photos by Robert Jones

Angela Gapinski is a fourth-generation gardener. She grew up in the greenhouse industry, and her family owns Heartland Growers in Westfield. It’s safe to say tending to plants is in her blood but has always been her passion, too.

As an adult, Gapinski opened two stores: Root 31, a plant shop, and Remedy, a gift shop.

Though both have been open for business for six years, last summer Gapinski snagged her dream location and recently moved.

“I grew up right around the corner from this house that belonged to a gentleman who was a scientist at Eli Lilly. He was also a hobby gardener and designed and built this home for his love of plants. It’s got tons of windows facing south and west, and it was just the coolest,” Gapinski said. “My dad used to slow down the vehicle as we drove by just so I could look at this cool house.”

When her mom saw the listing for the house, she raced to the open house, knowing it was the perfect spot to put both stores under one roof.

The home, built in 1970, required necessary updates, but Gapinski and her husband wanted to pay homage to the era. They kept the blueprint of the home nearly identical, only adding accessible entrances and widening doorways for customers.

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“This is seven times larger than the place we were previously,” Gapinski said. “It’s on six acres that we hope to grow into in the future. We keep joking that we’ll unlock a new level every so often as we fix things up and work on the property. It’ll be little by little but fun to watch as it evolves and changes over the years.”

For now, when you walk into Root 31, the variety of plants — from the tried-and-true house plants to the more rare and unique — will satisfy beginners and experienced gardeners alike. There are cut flowers and a stem bar where customers can buy flowers by the stem and build their own bouquets or ask the staff for assistance.

The gift store side offers rocks, crystals, candles, incense and handmade items from local businesses, including honey, tea, ceramic mugs and pottery.

An entire wall at the store displays artwork, blending together to create an environment that is peaceful and healing for many.

“Our old gift store was called Remedy because it’s just that — things we want to pick up when we’re looking for respite or to brighten our day. I’ve collected my favorite things over the years,” Gapinski said. “For example, my husband and I stayed at an Airbnb in Joshua Tree National Park, and there was a beautiful candle there. I had to hunt down that local candle maker, and it’s one of our best-selling candles here at Root 31.”

The new location at 17808 Grassy Branch Road in Westfield is truly a game changer, according to Gapinski.

Not only have regular customers followed Gapinski to her new spot, but new customers are also discovering it every day. The vibe has changed naturally.

“Now, they come and hang out. They sit on the couch and talk for a bit. It feels different than the typical shopping experience,” Gapinski said.

They plan to develop the property and offer space and opportunities to the community moving forward.

“We want this to be a space for the community to come together, maybe take a class or a workshop. We want a space that feels like we’re welcoming you into our home — not just a store environment,” Gapinski said. “I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to do so far and look forward to what’s to come.”

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