Anna Grace FitzGerald shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Anna Grace, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
There have definitely been a few moments where I am glad I didn’t ask fast. Ironically there are two big instances that come to mind and both were major decisions about where to locate the shop.
When I was first exploring places to open our storefront, I found a space that I really liked, but I had a gut feeling that something wasn’t quite right. I allowed myself a bit more time to think, and in that time, we found the perfect spot in City Market!
Fast forward a few years and I was doing the hunt again for a new location to relocate and expand – I had been approached by a new development to open up shop, which was very exciting, but I had that same gut feeling and I waited a bit longer to decide. In that time, someone had emailed me about a shop closing downtown and I was able to tour it that week. I couldn’t be any happier with our decision to move into our current location and I’m so glad that I waited until the right place came my way!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Anna Grace and I own Copperline Plant Co. in downtown Raleigh! We specialize in all things houseplants and love being able to help people with their plants – whether someone is brand new to the hobby or they’ve been collecting for years! In Spring 2026, we will be celebrating our 4th shop-birthday and 5th anniversary of starting the business – so we are really trying to work on expanding our workshops and classes so we can play a bit more! We have really narrowed in on our day-to-day operations over the past few years, so now it’s time to get a little more wild and play!
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I remember taking a big Euro-trip right after I graduated from College – I traveled to about 5 or 6 different countries and found myself going to different botanical gardens everwhere I went. I loved watching people navigate through the spaces and interract with their surroundings. I loved plants before I went on that trip, but when I got home, I was certain that this was something I wanted to pursue more seriously. I found a local garden center here in Raleigh and applied for a job so I could really hone in on my skills and knowledge. That was well over 10 years ago now and I still credit that trip for the career I’ve built for myself.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I struggled a lot with half-assing things when I was growing up – I loved trying out new hobbies and various things, but would often give up when it got hard or when I felt like I didn’t think I would be good at something. I was often scared to really try because I didn’t trust myself to see it through completely. I was also a MAJOR procrastinator and couldn’t seem to break the cycle.
In my early 30s, I came to learn that I actually had lived my whole life with undiagnosed ADHD, so my brain simply worked differently. Upon getting this diagnosis, I have been able to work with my brain (and my doctors) and lean into my strengths as opposed to focusing on my weaknesses. I am able to multitask really well – which allows me to manage the shop with ease; I have excellent pattern-recognition skills – which allows me to understand the flow of the shop and when I need to make certain orders, etc; and I am no longer letting perfection get in the way of progress.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’d like to think so – I think the only difference between the “real me” and the “public me” that more people get to know is that I’m actually quite introverted. When I’m at the shop, I am gregarious and open and it’s like I’ve never met a stranger, but when I’m with my friends and family, I have a tendency to be a quiet homebody. Maybe it’s safer to say that I’m an extroverted introvert…
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
I regularly tap dance to work – I feel so lucky to do what I do every day! When we have a plant truck arriving, I can barely sleep the night before because I am so excited for it to arrive! Unpacking the plants feels like Christmas every time – it’s made even more fun when people come in and see everything and are just as excited as we are!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.copperlineplants.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/copperlineplants
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/copperlineplants
