New Houseplant Store On Caton Farm Road: 'Word's Getting Out'

CREST HILL, IL — The Joliet area has had several long-time flower shops, but stores exclusive to houseplants are not common. That's why Joliet resident Michele Arana opened Internode Greenery & Home at 2400 Caton Farm Road Suite L in Crest Hill.

She's in the same Caton Crest Commons plaza as the Catfish & Chicken restaurant.

Arana opened Internode Greenery six months ago in space that was a chiropractor's office.

"We are the only houseplant store in the area," Arana told Joliet Patch. "The word's getting out. I usually bring in new plants on Wednesdays."

Arana carries lots of rare tropical houseplants and "a lot of unique home goods," she said. "We do yoga and we hold events. Definitely, the plants are a big draw."

Arana said the Internode Greenery does deliveries within a 30-mile radius of her store. She also does visits to help people figure out what houseplants are a good pick for their homes.

"I go to their houses," she said. "I teach people how plants can affect positive well-being and show them different varieties of things."

Arana said houseplants can help increase your concentration by 20 percent "in a classroom or a business." Two of her biggest clients are mortgage brokers and realtors.

One of her favorite things about houseplants? They "bring positivity into new space," Arana said.

She said the houseplants in Internode Greenery have a wide range in prices. Some are as low as $2 and others are $189.

"If someone wanted a 12-foot tree in their house, we can definitely do that," she said. "We do deliver and we do custom."

Arana said all her houseplants are real.

"No faux plants," she told Patch. "They're all live. Some of them I grow myself."

Other plants, she said, come from "reputable greenhouses" as far away as Florida and Arizona.

Houseplants make a great gift for anniversaries, birthdays, funerals, new houses, teachers and as Christmas presents, the Crest Hill small business owner said.

She said her customer base mainly comes from the Joliet and Crest Hill area as well as from Lisle and Downers Grove.

"Word of mouth has been wonderful," she said. "We re-pot plants, and we do diagnosis of any issue."

She praised Mayor Ray Soliman for welcoming her new store into Crest Hill.

"The mayor and his staff have been so nice and welcoming," Arana said.

Arana said she hopes to grow her business in the coming months, and part of that goal involves letting more people know she's open and she's here.

She will be participating in small business Saturday in November, she said.

Arana said she has lived in Joliet for 20 years.

"I guess, if it's anything plant-related, I'm your person," she said.

Arana developed a fondness for houseplants from her grandmother, who died 22 years ago.

"I still have her plant in my house," she said.

Internode Greenery & Home is closed Mondays.

Arana's store hours are: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. In November until Christmas, she will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.

Her business phone is 815-230-5905.

People can shop online and check out her latest houseplants and home goods at her website.

"We do nationwide shipping," she added.