For Anchorage plant shop, community cultivates growth by Kirsten Swann
At least once a week, Wasilla resident Briseida Avalos makes the drive into Anchorage, bound for an oasis of lush greenery in an industrial section of town. Inside That Feeling Co., customers are greeted by the aroma of espresso, a bright wave of viridescent vegetation and the warm touch of afternoon sunlight flooding through frosted glass. The popular Anchorage coffee and houseplant shop has been a regular destination for Avalos since the day it opened more than a year and a half ago. An administrator of the 8,700 memberstrong Facebook group “Alaska Houseplant Enthusiasts,” Avalos is one of the many Alaskans who now count themselves among That Feeling Co.’s frequent customers. “The whole vibe that you get there — full of love and peace, the way you’re greeted — it made it an amazing experience, and it’s something that has never changed,” Avalos said. That vibe plays a big role in the business’s blossoming success: After opening in early 2020, just weeks before the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shop found ways to pivot, innovate, survive and even thrive. Today, it’s preparing to repot itself into a new space in downtown Anchorage. The transformation represents the results of a consistent labor of love. “We wanted to curate a really community-oriented space,” said co-owner Tanya Val, sipping coffee on a low couch surrounded by foliage and light in the shop one spring morning. “We wanted to make sure everyone felt safe and comfortable here.” Those feelings were part of the business plan from the beginning. When Val opened the shop with her husband (then-fiancé), Carson Baldiviez, they found themselves inspired by the self-care and contentment that came from filling their own space with something green and alive. “It’s very fulfilling to watch something grow,” Baldiviez said. “It’s really nice to feel you’re thriving with your plants, and you’re bringing them good watering and light schedule and they’re happy — it really does make you feel good.” Inside the shop, plants cover nearly every surface — lined across tables, spilling from shelves, tucked into corners, arranged in rows on the floor. They overflow through open doors into neighboring Johnny’s Produce, giving the grocery owned by Baldiviez’s parents a lush, forest-like feeling. Customers can find
Photo courtesy Tanya Val
61°north | August 2021
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