BUSINESS FEATURE Dirt Bag Montrose-based plant shop grows community J essica Cohen has her roots in plants. Combining her knowl- edge of tropical vegetation plants. With natural light, high humidity and low ventilation, the plants thrive.
BY RENEE FARMER
from her mother’s Colombian her- itage with her knowledge of desert vegetation from her father’s Mexican roots, she said she can con dently pair plants with people. Cohen owns and runs Dirt Bag, a Montrose-based plant shop selling plants, pots and dirt while partnering with local artists to sell their products in the shop. It o ers resources for every step of plant care: purchasing, potting, pruning and protecting from disease. Before opening Dirt Bag, Cohen worked in brand management. Inspired by shops lled with plants during a visit to a client in Belgium, she realized selling plants inside was perfect for Houston. “Who wants to shop for plants out- side? It’s 100 degrees,” Cohen said. Fast forward to 2020, and Cohen found gardening therapeutic during the coronavirus pandemic and wanted to share its bene ts with oth- ers. Realizing she had kept work and gardening separate for too long, she married them in Dirt Bag, opening its doors Aug. 20, 2020. “We didn’t know anything about retail, but we knew plants, and we knew Houston,” Cohen said. Cohen’s family owns the 1919-built house Dirt Bag occupies. She grew up in the Montrose neighborhood and wants to protect the old house from demolition, she said. Cohen said the house provides a perfect set of conditions for the
Sta at Dirt Bag match customers with the right plant for their level of plant care experience, lifestyle and home lighting. Sta will also repot plants for free, drill drainage holes in planters, diagnose and treat plant sicknesses, and even do site visits for larger plants. Workshops taught by shop sta or vendors educate bud- ding plant parents on plant-related topics, including potting, plant care, soil mixing and propagating. It also makes and sells dirt in house—hence the name Dirt Bag. Cohen emphasized the importance of using high-quality dirt to keep a plant healthy, comparing it to eating food. Cohen said she is selective about the nurseries the plants are sourced from. She prioritizes healthy, high-quality plants over quantity. Dirt Bag sources its plants from specialty farms in the Texas Hill Country, Florida and California. The shop also helps local artists get a foot in the door by o ering them a market to sell their products, including candles, planters and hanging pots made from a variety of materials. Dirt Bag also joins markets and pop-up shops around the area to bring its plants and artists’ creations to more of the community. “We make it a point to carry stu you’re not going to nd anywhere else,” Cohen said. “It’s our way to support the community, keep the money in Texas, keep the money in Houston.”
Jessica Cohen owns and runs Dirt Bag, a shop specializing in indoor plants on Gray Street in Montrose. (Photos by Renee Farmer/Community Impact Newspaper)
Cohen identi ed four easy plants for beginners. Guide for green thumbs
Snake plant
Neon pothos
Guests at Dirt Bag can visit with Cohen’s pet chihuahua, Kaiser.
Philodendron (two varieties)
Dirt Bag’s soil is made in-house.
Dirt Bag 701 Gray St., Ste. 1, Houston 713-485-0380 www.dirtbagsfromtx.com Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
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