People of Rochester - Samantha

At the Lucky Flea Market, Samantha’s tattoos and striking gray hair caught my attention. She’s been interested in tattoos since she was 12 and got her first tattoo when she was 16. It was a tattoo of a star, and she had it applied in a place where her parents couldn’t see it, because they wouldn't have approved, she said. Most of her tattoos are images of plants and insects, and she said she doesn’t use just one tattoo artist.

Her hair started turning gray when she was 16. After she had moved to Rochester from Clyde, NY, she met a “particularly flamboyant man” in Wegmans, who told her she’d better not ever dye her hair. His comment inspired her to vow to never color her gray hair.

Samantha was one of the vendors at the Lucky Flea Market, selling rare and exotic plants with her business partner, Kerynn. Their business is called “Stem.”

She’s always had an interest in exotic plants, but didn't start buying them until last year. Samantha and her partner take bimonthly trips to New York City to acquire plants for their business. Some of the plants they propagate themselves, and they also have a wholesaler out of Syracuse.

Before they established a retail space at 258 Alexander Street, they were selling plants online.

They started the online business in May 2020. Samantha said their decision to go brick-and-mortar was impulsive. “The place kind of fell into our laps, and we were like, ‘Why not!?’ and it was a good idea, I guess. It’s been going well,” she said.

Thanks, Samantha!