WILKES-BARRE — Roughly 25 people attended Abide Coffeehouse’s monthly plant swap.
A plant swap looks like a greenhouse’s flea market. Each event goer brings their own plants. Some brought one or two while others unpacked boxes filled with dozens of plants.
“We moved from Denver and I didn’t know anybody. I asked the owners if we could try this and here we are,” Amanda Klinger, the event coordinator, said. Klinger has been a plant collector for about five years. She shared her happiness with how successful the monthly turnout has become, stating she wanted to build a community more than anything else.
Everyone had their own reasons for attending. Some people said they enjoy the community the event brings while others are ardent plant collectors. Therapeutic was used several times to explain what folks received from participating.
“It’s like having natural art in your house,” Mark Saggese, an experienced plant owner, said.
Many discussions focused on potting, care, special properties or rarity. Advice and knowledge were being as freely traded as the plants. Other local plant swap venues include Just Breath Wellness Studio in Kingston and Nature’s Creation in Tunkhannock.
Packing the schedule with events is a priority for Abide.
“We do 20 to 25 events per month,” Dan Shission, co-owner, said.
The event assortment is eclectic; from live comedy to knitting to Dungeons and Dragons.
“A lot of it has come from the customers,” Shission continued. There is no formal avenue to take for scheduling. Emailing the store is just as viable as speaking to the staff or owners to get the ball rolling.
A goal for Abide is providing what they call a “third place” with first and second being home and work respectively. This aims for their establishment to be “an informal gathering space where people can come together to relax, socialize, and build community,” according to their website.
One such community they hope to have strong rapport with is the college crowd. Every Monday there is 50% off beverages and 15% off the total of all purchases every day with a valid student ID.
Regardless of education enrollment, Shission aims Abide to be an “inexpensive option” for social gatherings. It is not mandatory to buy anything to enjoy the store’s events or some of its amenities.
Re-opening under new management in November 2022, Abide hopes to become a pillar of the community through their third place ideal. This is not limited to in-store activity. They send care packages to individuals weekly. The store accepts nominations for this either in-person or online. All submissions are free and confidential.
The store also sponsors fundraising with 45% of proceeds going to your school or organization as well as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity, Abide Foundation, that launched Oct. 30.
For more information go to abidecoffeehouse.com or visit them at 23 W. Market St., Wilkes-Barre, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.