Hidden Gems: Meet Will Lin of Green Rabbit Plants

Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Lin.

Will, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hi! We’re Will and Julie, the couple behind Green Rabbit Plant Shop. Our journey started when we were both working as management consultants but dreaming of creating something with deeper roots in our community. Will has since taken the leap to run the shop full-time, while Julie works her magic behind the scenes, handling our creative direction and social media. When we tested the waters with a holiday pop-up in North Hills back in late 2023, the warm reception took us by surprise! People genuinely connected with our vision for bringing quality plants and thoughtful service to the neighborhood, which gave us the confidence to take the next step.

With that momentum, we opened our first brick-and-mortar store in April 2024. For us, retail was always the goal – not just to sell plants, but to create an environment where people could feel inspired and welcomed to create their own little green oasis. Since last year, we’ve continued to grow organically and offer additional services, including commercial interior plantscaping for businesses in the area.

At the heart of Green Rabbit is a belief that plants can transform a space and your mood. Whether someone walks in as a seasoned plant enthusiast or someone who’s never kept a plant alive, we want to make the experience feel easy, beautiful, and a little bit joyful.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road – and we’d be the first to admit it! Like any small business owners, especially as a husband-wife team transitioning from corporate careers (for Will) and being one of the first businesses in the North Hills Innovation District (NHID), we’ve learned that growth rarely follows a straight line. There have been plenty of exhilarating highs and some really humbling lows along the way.

Starting Green Rabbit from scratch required us to wear every hat imaginable – working weekends when others are relaxing, figuring out how to grow a business through trial and error, and handling tasks between the two of us that would typically require a team, all while wondering if going for our dream was ‘worth it’ at times. Those long hours and unpredictable days put our commitment to the test, especially in the early months after opening our brick-and-mortar in April 2024 when foot traffic was low.

Additionally, with Will taking the leap from consulting to full-time shop owner – it was both exciting and terrifying, while Julie balanced her creative contributions with other professional commitments. But through it all, the people and the community we’ve created keeps us going. Nothing feels better than people coming back to the store and telling us their plant is thriving! Or seeing them bring a friend the next time. We try to celebrate the little wins throughout the journey. It’s particularly exciting too now that NHID is continuing to get developed with a greenway, restaurants, and more retail. It feels like we’re growing right alongside the community, and that connection is what makes the challenges worthwhile.

We truly believe we’re cultivating something meaningful here, and we’re looking forward to continuing to serve this neighborhood with everything we’ve got. The journey may not be smooth, but it’s definitely ours, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Green Rabbit is our neighborhood plant shop in North Hills that my wife Julie and I created after I left my consulting career to pursue this passion full-time. Julie works behind the scenes handling our creative direction and social media while I run the day-to-day operations. Since opening our brick-and-mortar in April 2024, we’ve focused on creating a welcoming space for plant lovers at every level of experience.

We specialize in quality plants and timeless pottery sources from local artists and around the world. We care for our plants like our own – giving it plant food, organic pest control, and leave shine so they thrive in your care. For our pottery, we’re known for our unique, antique yet timeless flair on classics. For example, our best sellers are our Italian and Mexican terracotta planters – which folks love for its beauty and functionality.

What sets us apart is our approach to how customer service. We often like to say we’re the “plant shop for the thoughtful gift givers, beginners to collectors, home décor lovers, plant enthusiasts, the modern-vintage obsessed, serial plant killers who keep on trying, the deal hunters, travelers, overwaterers, ‘forget I have a plant’ plant people.” That’s we intentionally:
– Designed and curated our store by the type of plant parent you are. For example, you’ll see sections and signs throughout that indicate “for the neglectful plant parent, for the pet parents, for the beginners, etc.”
– Offer complimentary potting for any plants purchased; so you can leave the mess and stress of repotting to us
– Give unlimited planty advice – there’s no gatekeeping. We want your plants to thrive and will empower you with what you need to know to keep your plant babies happy and healthy

Beyond retail, Green Rabbit provides commercial plantscaping services for offices and businesses throughout the Triangle. We handle everything from design to installation and ongoing maintenance, building a growing client list of notable local establishments.

What I’m most proud of is creating an environment where people feel confident in their plant choices and seeing people genuinely gravitate towards what we are creating here at Green Rabbit. We love helping folks add a touch of green to their space while building connection with our community. Another series of proud moments, are also all the “first” we’ve had as a new business. Our first return customer, our first commercial client, our first 5 star review on Google, and so many more.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Spending quality time with friends and family is always a great way for us to recharge, learn, and grow! We have family and friends that are also small business owners!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.greenrabbitplants.com
• Instagram: @greenrabbitplants