Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Petrucci.
Hi Kayla, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We purchased Hueters Greenhouse on July 15th, 2022, something Mike and I never imagined we’d do. Neither of us had any prior experience with plants—let alone owning and caring for eight full greenhouses. At the time, I was working at a local credit union when the previous owners approached Mike about buying the business and asked if I would help manage it.
Even with Mike’s wide range of experience in the car industry and real estate, we honestly laughed at first and thought, there’s no way. But before long, we were all in. I left my banking position and spent three short months learning under the existing manager before the greenhouse officially became ours.
Owning a greenhouse has not been easy work. It has required a lot of long days and 60-70 hr weeks, along with sacrifices from both Mike and I. There were some trial and errors made, but despite the challenges we stayed committed and supported one another every step of the way.
Since then, the journey has been incredibly fulfilling. I’ve learned about everything from plant care and pest control to marketing, rentals, community markets, and day-to-day operations. What started as something completely unfamiliar has grown into a passion, and I’ve loved learning every aspect of the business while helping it grow within the community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Owning a greenhouse is extremely demanding and hands-on work. The responsibilities don’t stop once we leave for the day—there is always behind the scenes work to be done, emails, bills to pay, events to plan, product orders to place. Much of the work requires planning far in advance, often preparing for a season six months before it even begins. It’s a constant balance of timing, organization, and forecasting.
It also isn’t always smooth sailing. We’ve faced challenges brought on by Mother Nature, such as water lines freezing, strong winds blowing products off tables and damaging flowers on top of a greenhouse being struck by lightning which resulted in destroyed hanging baskets we had planted for Spring. Our heat went out in a greenhouse during 20-degree weather, resulting in the loss of many houseplants. In addition to these environmental challenges, ordering the correct quantity of product is always very challenging. Anything leftover after a season becomes a financial loss.
Unfortunately, we’ve also encountered obstacles with local regulations. Despite hosting valuable community-focused events, our township has not always been supportive, and we’ve received hefty fines for multiple events causing us to take financial losses. ( Springettsbury Township )
Through all of this, we’ve learned how to adapt quickly, problem-solve under pressure, and make thoughtful decisions knowing every decision impacts our. small business These experiences have strengthened our resilience, planning skills, and ability to stay focused even when circumstances are outside our control
We’ve been impressed with Hueters Greenhouses, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Hueters Greenhouses, we are more than just a traditional greenhouse offering houseplants and seasonal plants. Throughout the year, we proudly host community markets featuring handmade vendors and pop-up shops from other local small businesses. Our property also includes two unique on-site venues available for celebrations of all kinds, including micro-weddings.
In addition, we welcome photographers to use our space for both during-hours and after-hours sessions. We also offer a variety of workshops and DIY experiences throughout the year, giving our community fun and creative ways to connect, learn, and celebrate. We hope people leave our greenhouse excited to come back again.
We love giving back to the community when we can. We often will post free plants and pumpkins in the fall for the public to take. During Christmas time we like to give poinsettias to places such as local businesses and nursing homes. We are open to donation requests year round for plants & giftcards etc.
Unlike some other Greenhouses we stay open year round and are a perfect place to stop in during the winter if you have the winter blues! We have a wide variety of house plants at great prices!
How do you think about luck?
Luck may play a role here and there in business however we know whether we come across good luck or bad luck, it will come down to a few key things. Planning, financial discipline, adaptability, problem solving, resilence, time, hard work, taking chances, and passion.
We feel extremely fortunate to have taken this unexpected opportunity to grow Hueters to where it is today. We feel lucky to have customers and employees who continue to love and support this small business as much as we do and stick along for the journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://huetersgreenhouses.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huetersgreenhouses/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuetersGreenhouses/
