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Plant lover hoping to grow a new business in West Fargo

August 3, 2022

WEST FARGO — A new plant shop is hoping to sprout in West Fargo.

Pansy Plants founder Scott Brezina is currently raising capital to fund the venture, which he is hoping to open in the Pioneer Place mixed-use building along Sheyenne Street in the city’s downtown.

While the timeline for the store’s opening is yet to be finalized, Brezina hopes to open this year. The budding entrepreneur said opening a shop dedicated to all things houseplants has long been a dream of his. He credited longtime friend Katie Krumwiede, owner of Cookie Krums, for helping him find the location in the Pioneer Place.

Pioneer Place, downtown West Fargo, where small businesses thrive!

Having made a career in retail, Brezina added that the COVID-19 pandemic afforded him extra time to contemplate his goal. “Especially over COVID, everyone kind of had a lot of time to think about what they really wanted to do and what they really love,” Brezina explained to The Forum. “I kind of just got to a point this year where I was like, ‘You know, I’m 32. If I’m not going to do it now, when?’”

That realization led Brezina to connect with an adviser from North Dakota Small Business Development Center . From there, he drafted a business plan, identified his ideal location and wholesalers and is currently raising capital through Mainvest , an online crowdfunding platform.

Downtown West Fargo Pioneer

As of Friday, July 29, Brezina had raised over 20% of his $60,000 investment goal. Mainvest, he explained, isn’t a standard fundraising platform like GoFundMe. Investors in Pansy Plants will receive a share of the business’s revenue up to a certain amount, depending upon how much they’ve invested. “Over the term limit, those people get their investment back as well as a set return,” he said.

Mainvest, Brezina added, was used successfully by 701 Eateries, which opened in 2021 and raised nearly $400,000 on the platform. “It’s a way for me to raise funds and get the support of the community, but also give back to the community in the way of returns,” he said.

Should Pansy Plants fail to meet its investment goal, the funds will be returned to investors. If that comes to pass, Brezina said that won’t deter him and he’ll “get creative” and “go back to the drawing board” to achieve his dream of owning the store.

Pioneer Place currently has open commercial space. Did you know? If you are looking to start a business in Downtown West Fargo, you can take advantage of EPIC Companies' fit-up incentives and look to see if you qualify for the West Fargo Enterprise Grant.
Contact Zach if you are interested!

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