Colleen O.
Yelp
I was very mistaken walking in - I thought it was only a small, one-room seed shop. But it was five rooms and not small and seeds are only the half of it.
Gardening supplies are provided in bulk, in every size and style, color, and design - the possibilities are endless in this endlessly LARGE store in the River Market (uncomfortably close to other small garden supply stores - I have to wonder if these garden businesses proliferating in this corner of downtown are knowingly or unknowingly cannibalizing eachother's profits - I suspect so - I counted three other stores within a three-minute walk!)
But either way, Planters is the king of all garden supply stores and seeds and anything that has to do with soil and sun and nature and food. The smell is incredible because they sell their own seasonings and salt mixes, coffee grinds and jams (it smelled like a very busy and worldly kitchen - but no one was cooking a thing.)
I remember a yelper talking about how much she loved fake cheese - well, she's NOT ALONE because Planters had a fresh supply of homemade cheese powder and somehow, coming from a place this natural, it made fake cheese look like a food group. But that's not all: wasabi powder, tequila lime seasoning, spaghetti, taco, southern, vegetable, shrimp seasonings, nuts, teas, anything edible, potent and fine or coarsely ground and stored was all here (and I wish I could bottle the smell.)
Bulbs were on sale for 50% off and anyplace that sells anything that cheap is a store worth visiting at least once - you never know what you might need in the future that they'll sell you almost nothing (that's how I justify buying two bulbs at least when I've never grown a successful garden in my life, ha).
They also had kitchen supplies, kettles and aprons and quirky knickknack-type things that would keep you busy to poke through for hours if you had the time. If for nothing other than this, I have to love a place that made me feel like I wanted to grow some flowers nearing the coldest of the winter months. OH and not to forget, Planters had those creaky wood floors I love so much (I'm talking Dime Store creaky wood - I hope you know what I mean - but if you don't you can check out my Dime Store review if you get a chance.)