Tucked away in the corner of the Shoppes at East Wind is Solntse Hot Yoga started by Ina Visich back in 2017. But other than the sign out front and the studio door all the way to the right, the entryway feels like so much more than a place to take off your shoes and jacket before yoga.
That’s because the entire space is filled with lush green plants trailing from the ceiling and placed along the floor and in display cases. It’s Visich’s latest addition to her yoga studio and another passion of hers — house plants.
“Everyone’s super excited, because it goes with the whole health and wellness theme,” she said. “When I opened this place I wanted it to not just be another yoga studio. I wanted to have a whole wellness experience.”
Visich launched North Fork Plant Co. two weeks ago as a place for yoga clients and walk-in customers to buy house plants and also get the expertise on how to care for them from a self-proclaimed plant obsessive.
“It’s very personal. I have 35 different plants at home,” she said. “I started collecting them 13 years ago, so my oldest one is about 13 years old.”
The new North Fork Plant Co. (credit: Felicia LaLomia). 
The new North Fork Plant Co. (credit: Felicia LaLomia). 
The new North Fork Plant Co. (credit: Felicia LaLomia). 
The new North Fork Plant Co. (credit: Felicia LaLomia). 
The new North Fork Plant Co. (credit: Felicia LaLomia). 
The new North Fork Plant Co. (credit: Felicia LaLomia). 
The new North Fork Plant Co. (credit: Felicia LaLomia).
But she understands how difficult caring for houseplants can be, which is why she knew opening North Fork Plant Co. would be a helpful business for the fellow plant obsessed in the area.
“Don’t get me wrong, I kill plants plenty,” she said. “Everyone does. It’s a matter of figuring out what space they like.” Visich’s space feels like a literal breath of fresh air. Thick, fluffy ferns sit up high on shelves. Cute, potted succulents and spiney, long green branches of plants sit below. A little wall full of air plants and a baby snake plant fill another corner. In front of the massive window soaking up the sunlight are long tendrils of string of pearls and hanging shelves of other succulents.
“They all have personalities,” Visich joked. “Like some of them are such drama queens if you don’t water them for two days.”
Over the years, the entryway to her studio has transitioned to different things based on her needs and the needs of her students. It started out having changing rooms, which Visich made into a matcha bar in 2019 when she realized not many people use the changing rooms.
“It’s not just come in, take a class and leave,” she said. “If you want to get a plant, you go home and you have a little bit of that experience you can take home. People really love the matcha bar, too. It all goes together super well.”
Right now, Visich sells the house plants online only, but as the weather warms up, she plans on having regular store hours open to the public. Follow North Fork Plant Co. on Instagram for more info.
