Eric Grabara, founder of plant-e, shares how a childhood hobby became one of Wrexham’s best-loved independent shops.
It started with a grandfather, a garden, and a lot of patience. As a child, Eric spent hours outdoors while his friends watched television, planting seeds and watching tiny shoots grow into something beautiful. Those afternoons taught him patience and responsibility. Most importantly, they taught him hope.
From One Houseplant to a Whole Collection
Around 15 years ago, Eric discovered houseplants, and a new world opened up. One plant became five. Five became twenty. Before long, friends joked that they needed a map just to walk through his house. However, Eric wasn’t simply collecting plants to fill space. He wanted to understand why one preferred bright light while another loved shade, and every evening became a chance to learn something new. He made mistakes, lost the odd plant, and started again. Each failure became a lesson, and each new leaf felt like a reward.
Soon, friends stopped just admiring the collection. Instead, they started asking for advice: why leaves turned yellow, how often to water, how to save a struggling plant. Eric loved helping, and seeing someone succeed with their first plant felt almost as rewarding as growing his own.
From Hobby to Shop
Everything changed after one conversation. A friend suggested Eric share his plants on social media. His first reaction was a flat no; plants were his escape from a busy world, not a source of followers. Eventually, though, curiosity won. He posted a few photos with simple care tips, and strangers began commenting, asking questions and sharing their own plants. Soon, people started asking where they could buy them. At first, Eric laughed the question off. The messages, however, never stopped.
That was the moment a tiny thought became a dream: somewhere that felt welcoming to complete beginners and experienced collectors alike, where nobody felt embarrassed to ask a question. After countless conversations and dozens of scribbled ideas, the name arrived: plant-e, short for Eric’s plants. Simple, personal, and unmistakably his.
A Destination, Not Just a Shop
Running an independent business, Eric says, is something few people understand until they try it themselves. Some mornings begin before sunrise unloading deliveries, and some evenings finish long after everyone else has gone home. Behind every display sits hours of watering, pruning, packing and answering messages. Still, he wouldn’t change it, because every day brings a nervous first-time buyer, a child choosing a tiny cactus, or a customer returning to show off how much their Monstera has grown.
Today, plant-e stocks everything from beginner-friendly houseplants to rare tropical and carnivorous species, alongside premium soils, pots and plant food. Beyond plants, the shop also sells handcrafted candles, reed diffusers, premium teas and personalised gifts, and Eric regularly hosts terrarium workshops where visitors build their own miniature gardens.
Consequently, plant-e has grown into an award-winning business, named Best Plant Shop in Wales for two consecutive years and awarded Best Plant Specialist 2026. Eric is quick to credit the community behind those titles: the customers, families and neighbours who supported an independent shop and, in doing so, helped a simple love of plants grow into something much bigger.
Visit plant-e at 22 Charles Street in Wrexham or go to plant-e.online.
We hope you enjoyed reading about plant-e’s journey from a spare room full of houseplants to an award-winning Wrexham shop. Click here for more articles about local businesses in and around Wrexham.
