Community Highlights: Meet Anna Grace FitzGerald of Copperline Plant Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Grace FitzGerald.

Hi Anna Grace , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In 2020 when the world shut down, I was working as a Landscape Designer in Philadelphia, PA, working remotely and feeling mighty isolated. With this extra free time, I became keenly aware that I was learning a lot, I was working on world-class projects, and designing special spaces, but I was unhappy – I missed working with plants and people. I took advantage of a pretty liberal work-from-home policy and moved back home to NC to be with my family. I thought long and hard about the things that have continually brought me joy over the years, and I kept coming back to working hands-on with plants. I wrote out a business plan and decided to start my own business.

In 2021, I filed the paperwork to create Copperline Plant Co. – I knew I wanted to have a brick-and-mortar, but it wasn’t in the cards just yet. I began going to markets, pop-ups, selling out of my backyard, and doing everything else under the sun to get the word out about the business. I was able to save up a little nest-egg and when winter rolled back around, I decided it was time to find a place to call home.

We signed our first lease for a little 900SF spot in Raleigh’s City Market and opened the doors in Spring of 2022. It was more than I could have imagined – we held workshops, classes, pop-ups, plant swaps, and more. Over the course of two years, we built a thriving community of kind, curious, plant lovers and quickly outgrew our space. In Spring of 2024, we doubled our squarefootage and relocated to the corner of Hargett and Salisbury Streets, where we are located now.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I feel fortunate that this road, while winding, has been relatively smooth. Times have certainly been tough over these past few years, but I am learning new things with every hiccup so I, and the business, can be more resilient each time. I have worked a lot of different jobs in a lot of different fields over the years – at the time, they felt very disconnected, but I know now that each one has given me the skills that I need to do what I do now as a shop owner.

We’ve been impressed with Copperline Plant Company, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Located in the heart of Downtown Raleigh, Copperline Plant Co. is Raleigh’s Home for Houseplants. Whether you’re taking home your first plant or you’ve been collecting for years, we have something for everyone!

Something that sets us apart from others is that we really focus on education over everything else. Each time someone walks through our door, the hope is not that they buy something, but that they learn something new. Our shop is set up in a logical way that ensure that folks are selecting plants that will be happy in their environment and our team works with each customer to make sure they have the information they need to succeed.

Each time I hear someone say “the plants we got from you are thriving” I feel proud of the work that we are doing. In our shop, we help people every day with their plants – we hear stories about struggling plants that were bought elsewhere, then we give a simple piece of advice and they begin to thrive. If you take a look through our google reviews, you’ll see review after review of folks who have been able to rescue their plants because of our help.

I am glad that people continue to trust us and I don’t take that priviledge lightly.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
I 100% would not be where I without the support of my parents, Cindy & Kevin – they have been with me from the beginning and have encouraged me to continue to learn and push myself every single day. Their support has been invaluable and I am so lucky to have them nearby as the business continues to grow.

Along with my family, I have been fortunate to work with the best team in town. Without the hardwork, humor, and kindness of my staff, the shop wouldn’t be the well-oiled machine that it is.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.copperlineplants.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/copperlineplants
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/coppperlineplants