Journal

Local Loves: Prick

Local Loves: Prick

Scroll down any self-respecting social media feed and you’re bound to come across a cactus or succulent at some point. As we all know, cacti are currently enjoying quite a moment as the Internet’s collective house plant of choice, so it was only a matter of time before the concept sprung out of the digital world and into the real one.

Enter: Prick. No, we’re not talking about your ex-boyfriend – we’re actually referring to London’s newest and only cacti and succulent boutique, specialising in the many various varieties of the plants, and located locally to us at Glasshouse on Kingsland Road, Dalston. As big fans of all things green, we’re very excited.

Image: The Resident
Image: The Resident

Prick is a total treasure trove for green-fingered plant lovers and Instagrammers alike – clean white shelving is awash with green and no two cacti are quite the same. Sourced from all over, with an especially large amount of stock from Holland, Prick is a truly specialist outfit. And with prices ranging from £3 to £400, there’s something for everyone in every sense of the phrase.

The shop is a labour of love for its owner Gynelle Leon, who trained as a florist in Bethnal Green and found a particular passion for succulents. She opened Prick in July and so far has been
enjoying huge success.

Gynelle cites cacti’s suitability for modern living (“due to their low maintenance and hardy nature,” she says) – especially in London where garden space is often scarce – as a major reason for their popularity and subsequently, as one of the reasons why the shop is doing so well.

She has particularly managed to tap into the unique personality of each different plant, telling the Evening Standard that she sees Prick more as an “adoption service” than a shop, uniting cacti with loving new owners one at a time (aww!)

She’s also expanding: as well as the plants, Prick also stocks a range of terracotta ‘Prick Pots’ with which you can accessorise your purchase to make it the perfect fit for your home. Later on, there are plans to source pieces to sell from local artists and designers, demonstrating that great Hackney spirit of collaboration, which we love to be surrounded by so much.

So if you need a pick-me-up or an interiors overhaul, you could do much worse than a visit to Prick. With so much variety and a wealth of knowledge, you’re bound to walk out with the cute little succulent of your dreams!

Prick is located at 492 Kingsland Road, E8 4AE.

Words: Lauren O’Neill
All images: Kieran Pharaoh