Gift Lepley & Co.

“No matter whether you are a dedicated plant parent or looking to add your first plant to your dorm room, our team is ready to help answer all your questions,” said Justin Lepley, founder and owner of Lepley and Co. 

Lepley and Co. has locations in downtown’s Northside Marketplace at 21 Furnace St., Akron and at Uniontown’s Art Lan Florist at 13113 Cleveland Avenue Northwest.

In addition to a variety of plants, you can also find the tools and supplies needed to keep your potential garden happy and healthy. 

Lepley and Co. strives to keep their space comfortable for everyone. Not only that, but they are also poised and ready to help a non-green-thumb gift their plant parent family and friends.

As the spring season moves along, opportunities flourish to make loved ones feel special. Step into Lepley and Co for events such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduation. 

Check out Lepley’s potting services for the perfect gift for mom or dad. 

Lepley and Co. wants to make the customer experience as pain free as possible when it comes to becoming (or encouraging) a new plant parent. 

Purchase a pot from their large selection of aesthetics and colors and a plant to live inside. Rather than taking it home and potting it yourself, the employee in the shop will re-pot it for you right then and there.

While they work at transferring your plant, they will chat about plant care and recommendations, which is helpful, even if you’re only passing it along to your giftee.

Lepley doesn’t have a  favorite customer recommendation he gives. That’s because plants are as individual as their prospective owners. 

When you purchase a plant as a gift, the staff will ask all the right questions.

Whether it’s the amount of sun, the watering frequency, or the maintenance level, Lepley and Co. will help you find the perfect plant match. 

According to Lepley, one popular choice is an air plant.

What is an air plant? These tropical-looking plants don’t need soil or watering to survive. Their long, narrow leaves gather moisture and nutrients from the air.

“I think this (their popularity) is because they are so cute, unique, and can work virtually anywhere,” he said. “Many folks feel brave enough to give them a try.”

If you know the person you are gifting is a certified plant-killer (ehem, Prof C), an alternative route for gifting is a floral arrangement.

Lepley and Co. offers a full-service floral department, deliverable to all of Stark and Summit County. 

According to Lepley, Mother’s Day is their biggest holiday of the year for floral arrangements.

In addition to  plants and plant-care items, Lepley offers trinkets throughout his space. These crafts are curated to anyone looking for something to put on their desk or throughout their home. 

“But don’t forget about Dad,” Lepley said “He would likely love flowers or a new plant too!”

Of course, Lepley and Co. is not Justin Lepley’s only venture. His team also operates Northside Marketplace itself as well as Nomz Eatery.

“With all of these different organizations, we collaborate to hold lots of events all throughout the year that are welcome to everyone,” Lepley said. Nomz Eatery holds monthly trivia nights, open mic nights and Supersmash tournaments, all in partnership with their other vendors in Northside Marketplace.

Lepley is invested in supporting small businesses, operating Northside as “an incubator space for entrepreneurs bridging the gap between a home based business and a physical store, providing a vendor community, collective marketing, business coaching, and mentorship to help growth.”

He wants to  see more people shop small and local in downtown Akron.

“When one of our neighbors succeeds, we all succeed,” Lepley said, expounding, “This is the deep importance of shopping small.”

His favorite motto is, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” You can see why, considering the culture Lepley has built. 

Beyond supporting others through his professional ventures, Lepley and Co. also raises money through philanthropy.

“We are engaged in a lot of charitable events and networks,” Lepley said. “We really use our brand to spread awareness about the issues we care about the most.”

Lepley encourages everyone to check out the, ‘Lepley and Co. Cares Fund’ tab on their website for the networks and movements they support. 

Check out Lepley and Co’s current events listed on their website. Lepley and Co. take part in events hosted by Downtown Akron Partnership, Akron Pride, Stark Pride and many more. 

Keep up to date with Lepley and Co’s events on their Facebook and Instagram page.