ABOUT US
The Plant: Pittsboro’s Creative Playground
Tucked away on 17 acres on the east side of Pittsboro, The Plant is not your average business park—it’s an eco-industrial village where food, drink, art, music, and community come together. Imagine wandering from a craft distillery to a meadery, from a coffee roaster to a farm-to-table café, and then stumbling upon an art gallery, a flower shop, or even a native plant nursery. Whether you’re sipping a local brew, browsing hemp clothing, or listening to live music under the stars, The Plant turns everyday commerce into an experience.
The roots of this place run deep. In the 1940s it was Sunshine Gardens, the largest flower farm in the United States, famous for its giant chrysanthemums—including those that decorated John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration. Decades later, the property became a metal alloys plant before being reclaimed in the early 2000s by visionaries who dreamed of transforming it into a hub for sustainability, creativity, and resilience.
That dream is alive today. Fair Game Beverage Company, Starrlight Mead, and BMC Brewing anchor the site, joined by Vortex Roasters, Kingston 99 Kitchen (authentic Jamaican cuisine), Ta Contento (incredible Latin street food), and Metal Brixx Café. Fair Game’s pantry overflows with North Carolina-made treats, while Fleurish Designs provides fresh flowers to take home. Stop by the little purple house for candles and gifts from Essence Candles Boutique.
But The Plant isn’t just about eating and shopping—it’s about doing. You can throw an axe at Chatham Axes, rent an e-bike from Pittsboro Electric Bikes, wander the nature trail, bring the kids to the playground, or simply relax in one of the many outdoor gathering spaces. Every month, the place comes alive with live music, dance nights, and community markets—sometimes you’ll catch a full orchestra, sometimes a solo singer-songwriter serenading the crowd.
Whether you come for the flavors, the history, the creativity, or the sense of community, The Plant is a place that always surprises—and keeps you coming back.
Tami Schwerin and Lyle Estill, co-founders Arlo Estill, Partner
The Plant is alive with energy, creativity, and celebration. Our grounds have hosted everything from conferences and workshops to carnivals, faires, art openings, birthdays, weddings, and even funerals—because every chapter of life belongs here.
In the winter of 2025, we planted something new: a Tree Museum, inspired by Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi. Add to that our ever-changing art walk and the very first annual Sculpture Show, and you’ll see why Pittsboro’s public art scene is blossoming right here.
One thing’s certain: The Plant is never still. Always in rhythm with the flow of life and the local economy, our business park is a gathering place, a playground, and a community treasure. Come be part of it—whether you’re joining as a tenant, sipping at a tasting, hurling an axe, dancing at a festival, or wandering the trail.
✨ Trespassers Welcome! ✨
