Following the success of Apercu Glasgow, the team have recently opened a sister shop in Edinburgh. No mean feat considering the tough time that high street retail is experiencing this year. If their Glasgow shop is anything to go by the Edinburgh store will soon become a much loved asset to the city.
We chatted to Assistant Manager Sarah all about shop-life and what Edinburgh can expect from Apercu.
High-street retail is going through an incredibly testing time, how have you coped with the huge changes to how we shop?
During the COVID outbreak we have noticed that many people have retreated away from large commercial brands and are more interested in supporting their local businesses. Of course, it has been a difficult time for us, but we really hope that people will stay motivated to stay shopping small. We had the crazy idea of hiring during a pandemic and opening up our sister store in Edinburgh. It's been incredibly challenging, but rewarding and exciting. We've felt so welcomed by all of our neighbours and customer feedback so far has been really positive.
What is your favourite aspect of shop-life?
The morning run around is always special. Before the shop opens we check in on all the plants and give them a water or a mist. It's a ritual that reminds us to reconnect, slow down, take our time and take care. And of course chatting with customers about plants is always a joy; plant lovers are so generous with their knowledge and interests, we're constantly trading tips and tricks.
What is the houseplant community like in Scotland? Which seem to be the most popular plants?
The houseplant community seems to have exploded during lockdown. The current situation has really taught us to invest in, nurture and respect the things we love, and plants are so reciprocal in this - they absolutely love us back. Discovering a new shoot on your Monstera can be the most joyful thing - that this living thing is responding so tangibly to your care is so heartwarming. There are certainly plants 'a la mode' as well as the classic favourites. For example, our Edinburgh house plant lovers went immediately for the Pileas, but we also think our special love for Calatheas is certainly catching on.
Trends within house plants come and go, is there a certain type of plant, display method or growing method that you see as the next emerging trend within house plants?
On a recent episode of Gardener's World, it featured someone who had made an indoor living wall, complete with water feature. While I don't anticipate the average plant enthusiast will quite go to these extremes, I do think people are interested in using plants as more of a design feature in their living spaces.
Do many of your customers seem interested in caring for plants sustainably? Is there anything that Apercu is doing to try and improve the sustainability of the house plant retail sector?
Many people are becoming more aware of the importance of sustainability, which is also something deeply rooted in our hearts. We try to source our plants from the UK wherever possible, though of course the Dutch market still dominates. We are super lucky to work with lots of local indie makers who supply us with botanical homewares and beautiful pots.
Would you like to highlight a couple of your favourite products at the moment?
We're big fans of Bergs Potter's pots. They have such lovely shapes and styles, and as they're made from porous terracotta the plants love them too. They're the sort of pots that look good anywhere, alone in a minimalist tableau or as a part of a jumble in an indoor jungle. Plant-wise we've got some lovely Philodendrons in at the moment, such as Micans, a trailing Philodendron with velvety shimmering red-tinted leaves.
Can you share with us any plans for the future of Apercu?
Our new Edinburgh store has a focus on dried flowers, which gives us a slight edge from other plant shops. We hope to expand into creating dried installations as well as selling bunches, wreaths and the likes. We are also hoping to run workshops in the near future, in the beautiful space our new back room has to offer. Watch this space for terrarium, wreath making and scent based workshops.
Aperçu is now open at 14 Haymarket Terrace every Monday to Sunday from 10am - 6pm. Get directions.