Meet Shannon Crosby | Curated Plant Shop Owner | Artist | Event Coordinator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Crosby and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?

I am originally from the Boston, Massachusetts area. My family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida when I was about to start middle school. I feel as though both Boston and St. Pete foster creativity in immense ways. There is art to see everywhere, and so many interesting things to do and see. My mom would bring home photocopied arts & crafts activities for us to do before the internet was ubiquitous. We went to museums, went on history tours, and my mom even gave tours of lighthouses in Boston. She later wrote and self-published a book on lighthouses too. Later as a teen and young adult, I saw the transformation of downtown St. Petersburg into the vibrant art district it is today.

I strongly feel as though being exposed to all of this art and culture has directly contributed to me being a creative person.

I will still always be a huge consumer of art and knowledge, but it feels good to be able to contribute art to the world now too as an adult.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I began vending at local pop-up markets around 2014. Some friends and I collaborated on an enamel pin design, so I would sell those pins, as well as 1″ buttons I designed, zines I designed and wrote, and weird stuff I had thrifted or made.

I soon transformed into a plant aficionado. Over the next few years, I began voraciously collecting plants and teaching myself how to care for them. Gardening truly took over my life, and therefore it seeped into my creativity as well. I started painting terracotta pots, and making planters out of creepy old doll heads.

I began making macrame wall hangings shaped like ghosts, and other home decor pieces that were dark, gothic, and garden-related.

Vending at more and more local pop-ups, it became easier once both of my feet were securely planted in the scene here. When just starting out, it can be difficult to find your people and find events to do. This is probably the biggest hurdle when starting a small business and just getting into the pop-up market scene.

Being a spooky garden shop, I am lucky to be able to vend at counterculture oddities markets, punk rock flea markets, whimsical fairy garden markets, plant shows, as well as more traditional craft markets.

The more specific your brand is, the more difficult you may find it is to reach a wider audience. I feel as though I have found a comfortable niche with my brand. It’s spooky, yet accessible. I recently opened up a physical shop inside of a cat cafe here in Plant City. I am so excited to have a brick & mortar location and hope people love it!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I am a huge mark for anything strange or unusual and most of my friends enjoy stuff like this too. I run an Instagram called @weird_florida so I have gone to a lot of off-the-beaten-path places in Florida.

If I had a week to show a friend the best time ever, I would definitely start in St. Pete, looking at the murals, going to the Dali Museum, eating at restaurants like Ceviche or Red Mesa Cantina. We’d walk to Vinoy Park and look at the dolphins in the bay. Then I would tell the story of the haunted Vinoy Resort and how professional baseball players who’d stay there would be terrified.

We’d drive out to Sunset Beach for the best sunset, and get ice cream at Johns Pass Village Madeira Beach.

Another day would consist of catching a vendor market and doing some shopping at some of the independent gift shops in Dunedin, with lunch at Casa Tina. We’d then drive up to Homosassa Springs and Weeki Wachi to see the gorgeous natural spring and to watch the mermaid show, which is very old Florida/pre-Disney tourism.

I would also take my friend up to Mount Dora, which is a “hilly” part of Florida that is known for the haunted Lakeside Inn and for prime antique shopping. We would look for unique treasures, and go plant shopping at Yard Stop (a personal favorite nursery of mine) and eat lunch at The Goblin Market or Fifth Avenue Streetery.

If there was time, I would love to drive south down to Everglades City and Ochopee to visit the Smallwood Store, and the Florida Skunk Ape Headquarters. We’d then drive across alligator alley and visit all the plant nurseries in Homestead as well as the Robert Is Here produce stand, and the Coral Castle.

Driving back up, we’d drive through weird Florida towns like Venus, Lorida, and YeeHaw Junction, visiting the dead mall in Sebring along the way.

Of course we would have to make a stop at my new brick & mortar shop inside of the Catnip Cafe in Plant City. They are a non-profit and such nice people. Their cafe just exudes warmth and they have the BEST tea (the tea they use is from independent tea artist Morbid Curiositea).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom being a creative person definitely got the ball rolling for me to think creatively and want to make things to put out into the world. My husband Eric now carries the torch in supporting and helping me in all my endeavors, no matter how big, small, or wild they may be. His kindness, patience, and empathy is beyond what I could hope for in a supportive partner.

I have also fostered several very meaningful friendships in my local community. Their advice, support, and enthusiasm is immeasurable and beyond appreciated.

Lastly, my friend Shannon who has now become my business partner/co-creator of a very special curated and magical event we host in our town called Mossy Hollow Market. Working together on this passion project has taught me so much and nurtured our friendship in such immense ways, and I am truly grateful for that.

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