For Justice Fuegen, plants are more than living things. They provide a connection to the community and create a sense of belonging.
“I just feel like plants connect people,” Justice said surrounded by more than 300 plants at her St. Joseph Street business UPROOTED. “So many people walk in, and I don’t know their background, and I don’t know their story, but they tell me their grandmother had this plant and that they love this plant or want to learn more about that plant. They are just house plants but suddenly it is this conversation, and you have a friend.”
Justice and her husband Steele purchased UPROOTED, at the time a mobile-only business, in February 2022 from Callee Ackland. Justice, a Black Hills native, was a manager at Pure Bean Coffeehouse when the new opportunity came along. “Managing Pure Bean for almost three years, I got a sense of business and managing people and I loved that, but I was ready for something on my own.”
Callee, also owner of Hippie Haven, planned to move and wanted to sell. “We got in under the wire and everything worked out perfectly.” The purchase also brought the opportunity to have a storefront. With Callee moving, she was also vacating her downtown Hippie Haven location.
“We were in this space with Callee for six months and then Aurora Grace moved in, and we renovated together,” Justice said. Aurora Grace is a clothing boutique owned by Kaylee Hubbard. Originally operated as an online store, Kaylee now shares the retail space with UPROOTED.
“This is really our pride and joy; our home away from home,” Justice said. “We put a lot of effort into this.” The couple, along with their family and Kaylee’s family, completely renovated the store, adding a wall and plant-potting station and creating more usable space. “I was 25-weeks pregnant and painted every square inch of the space.”
Their daughter, 10-month-old Adeline, is now a highlight for customers walking into the shop, as is Kaylee’s baby. The two mothers and business owners help each other covering the store if one of their kids is sick or they need a break. The focus is on family along with community.
“I just love that I can take Adeline to work every day.”
The couple sold the mobile van a few months ago to focus on the brick-and-mortar store. While Justice is the face of UPROOTED, her husband Steele works behind-the-scenes ensuring things run smoothly. He works full time as a . “He comes in and helps whenever I need him. I could not do it without him.”
She also has five part-time employees who all have different roles, but share Justice’s passion for plants. Justice will turn to one of them when she has a question. “We teach each other and have different strengths.”
Being a business owner has been an adventure and a learning experience for Justice.
“I loved plants. That is what really got me started. I thought ‘this would be fun,’” she said adding that she initially overestimated her plant knowledge. “I honestly thought I knew a lot about plants, but after buying this business I realized I knew nothing.”
During her first wholesale trip, Justice was handed a 10-page list of plants, few she recognized. “I was like ‘What have I gotten myself into.’ But I slowly learned so much and now I can educate people when they come in and talk about our plants and products.”
UPROOTED has more than 60 different varieties of plants they help match with the individual. “If they are an overbearing plant parent, we suggest something that can take a lot of water and if they are neglectful, we suggest a cactus.”
Justice said her favorites are philodendrons. “They have such unique leaves and are great communicators. Their leaves get papery when they are thirsty. You water them and they forgive you and don’t die.” With a business, husband, dog and baby, Justice said she is more of a neglectful plant parent.
But Justice said UPROOTED is a judge-free zone. “We have all killed plants. It’s part of owning them. Knowing where I started and the questions I would have asked, I never judge. You have to learn somehow.”
UPROOTED offers many services from education and plant diagnosis to repotting and designing business and home greenery spaces. They have plant-sitting services and even make house calls. Justice said they have weekly events focused on creating an educated community of plant enthusiasts.
“I just love the community we have built with the other business owners and customers. It’s just a really beautiful thing to open a business downtown. I never really feel alone in stuff because there is always someone willing to lend a helping hand or walk in super positive and it just fills me up for the day.”