Urban Earth Nursery, a Fremont plant store staple since 1997, will close its doors at the end of October.
The nursery is closing because the Fremont Dock Company has sold the nursery property at 1051 N. 35th St. to a residential developer planning to build housing on the adjacent lots.
Co-owner and lead gardener Tan Gleason shared the news in a message to customers, writing that “after almost 30 years of being a nursery at the Center of the Universe, Urban Earth Nursery will be closing for good.”
The nursery has served as the neighborhood’s only indoor-outdoor garden shop, offering a wide variety of plants, handmade goods, and gardening services. It has also served as a gathering place, hosting potting events, a free plant library, and fostering a sense of community among local plant enthusiasts.
Gleason also shared the following:
“When I was hired as an employee and then came on as an owner, I was able to truly blossom into the person I had always wanted to be. I found my neurodivergent, queer artists and plant people, and my life is forever changed. The opportunity to see each of our staff flower has been a wondrous and mystical joy that words simply cannot convey. To each of you, I love you with my whole heart. Thank you for everything you’ve done for Urban Earth.”
The nursery will hold a “End of the Earth” party on October 18, and they’re having a closing sale. They’ve also launched a GoFundMe: “If you’d like to support our staff in their new journeys and to ensure a smoother financial transition in a city where the cost of living is exorbitant, please check out our GoFundMe where you can donate. All proceeds will go toward severance pay for our dear and talented shop staff,” Gleason said.
Gleason noted the impact of rising commercial rents on the decision, saying that current retail space prices are “roughly 2-3 times what we can afford.” While the nursery will close, Urban Earth’s landscaping and garden services will continue, with hopes to someday reopen in another location.
For now, Urban Earth will remain open in its Fremont location through October 31.
Photo: Urban Earth Nursery