Lauren Imbruglia, our NJ Mompreneur of the Week, was a teacher for almost two decades before the pandemic altered her career path. When she and her husband contracted COVID, she leaned into the benefits of houseplants—improved air quality, enhanced well-being, and reduced stress levels—and found she had an affinity for tending to them. But the idea of owning a store didn’t become a reality until she came across a very special plant shop during a wedding in Tennessee. By that time, Lauren had left teaching, and feeling inspired, she decided to go for it and open a dedicated plant shop in her hometown. Since then, Lauren’s plant shop, Deeply Rooted in Ridgewood, has thrived, marking the first of its kind in town that sells plants for residential and commercial purposes, along with plant rehabilitation, repotting, classes, and vacation care. We caught up with this Ridgewood mom of three to discover the double meaning behind her business’s name, the online support system she’s found, and the local spot she visits that’s naturally awesome.
Please share a bit about your family and your career background. My husband, Keith, and I both grew up in Wallington, Bergen County, but we’ve lived in Ridgewood for nearly 32 years, which is why ‘Deeply Rooted’ is the perfect name for my business. Aside from its reference to plants, I am deeply rooted in the Ridgewood community. Growing up, I’d frequent this vibrant town often, to shop or hang out with friends, and my husband and I went on lots of dates here. We both loved it so much that it’s where we decided to settle and raise our children, Sara, 34, Lindsey, 30, and Christian, 28. Career-wise, I was a teacher in Ridgewood for 18 years, and I absolutely loved it. But when I developed long-term COVID, it left me feeling extremely fatigued all the time. As a teacher, you have to bring your “A” Game, and mixing that with family time and caring for pets was just too grueling a schedule. I decided to leave teaching behind and open my plant shop.
Why plants? During the pandemic, I turned to plants to keep me busy. When we attended a family wedding in Nashville, we stopped in Franklin, a nearby town that reminded me of Ridgewood. I fell in love with this very unique and special plant shop, and I realized that, although there have always been florists in our town, we had never had a plant shop. I ended up chatting with the owner and picking her brain over the phone, and decided to go for it. We launched in 2022.
What sets Deeply Rooted apart from other plant shops? We feature many local makers and artisans, and most of what I sell has a botanical connection. I aim to thoughtfully have special grab-and-go gifts without a lot of redundancy so along with the plants and pots for them that I carry, I also sell great artwork, local honey, and so and so much more making it perfect for special hostess, teacher, birthday, get well and of course personal gifts, too. One thing I’ve realized while running this business is that you need to have multiple streams of revenue to keep it all going. I also offer seasonal pre-orders, classes, workshops, and vacation care for plants.
Does your family ever get involved in your business? Not a whole lot, but my husband did help to set me up for success. He’s in commercial real estate, and he helped me find the right space. It was essential that the location was suitable, that we wouldn’t have to do extensive work to it, and that we wouldn’t be taking on too much financially.
Is there anything that might have helped your business launch smoothly from the start? Ha! Being independently wealthy would have helped. Seriously, though, I don’t think there was anything that could have made the early stages go smoother, because at the time, I had prepared as much as I could. I consulted with the plant shop owner near Nashville and reached out to my Ridgewood business owner friends for advice. And, a former teacher friend of mine who had retired and opened a party goods store in Saratoga Springs really inspired me. She was a big motivating factor for me. I’ve been so fortunate that everyone has been happy to share their knowledge and help me on this journey.
What do you hope your children learn from seeing you follow your dreams? My kids tell me they love the shop and they’re so proud of me. I hope it sets a good example for them on the importance of continuing to learn and grow.
Please share some of your fave local businesses and Garden State spots. I really appreciate all of the plant shops that I follow on social media—we share advice, support, and encourage each other. One of them is Terrace, in Westfield. The owner is inspiring. We also frequent Paterson Great Falls, which is practically in our backyard. We’ve recently discovered it, and it’s a unique and beautiful spot. And of course, we love the Jersey shore, especially Avalon, where we visit with friends and enjoy the beach.
What’s your best practical advice for a mompreneur just starting out? Fight the urge to take on all the business’s responsibilities yourself and learn how to delegate. There are only so many hats you can wear at one time.
For more information on Lauren Imbruglia and Deeply Rooted, please visit her website, Facebook page, and Instagram account.
