Cultivate Urban Rainforest & Gallery — Attraction in Evanston Township

We recently visited a local plant shop in Evanston, Chicago, and were absolutely blown away by the exceptional customer service—it was the kind of experience we didn’t realize we had been missing. The staff were not only knowledgeable but genuinely kind and patient, going above and beyond to make our visit special.

My nine-year-old daughter was full of questions about terrariums, and the team answered every one with care, thoroughness, and enthusiasm. Their kindness and willingness to engage her curiosity were heartwarming, showing us a level of thoughtfulness and attentiveness that’s increasingly rare.

What made the experience even more remarkable was how numerous employees contributed to making us feel welcomed and valued. Each interaction was pleasant, helpful, and inspiring. Their collective passion for plants and their commitment to connecting with customers left a lasting impression on us.

This beautiful local shop didn’t just sell plants—it restored our faith in the art of true customer engagement. We left feeling so uplifted and eager to return as soon as possible. Thank you for giving us such a memorable and...

Cultivate is a beautiful, well-tended shop with a fairly large selection of ferns, air plants, succulents, and pots. It's also regularly restocked and decorations moved around, subtle new look every time you go! I say 4 not 5 stars just because I think the prices are rather expensive, for plants and pots. You could pay $10+ for a teeny succulent pot. Also, many don't have drainage holes which seems kind of counterintuitive to me for a plant shop; they will drill holes in ceramic pots but it costs $3 on top of the already pricey pots. The employee said they don't make any money off of drilling the holes (just enough to pay for the drill bit) but it just seems excessive. I think they may charge to pot the plant too, although he didn't tell me that when he offered to repot for me and I only found out when he said I won't charge you for the repotting. The employees have always been very helpful though! Just wouldn't buy in bulk from here but it's great if you just need a...

Surprised to read negative reviews. This place is great! I have loads of plants from there (and other stores bc I have LOADS of plants in my house). None have ever been sick or infested. The store is adorable. They are far and above the most helpful staff. They will even repot a plant that isn’t even from their store (small fee) and offer advice. I brought in a sad peperomia which is now thriving thanks to Cultivate staff. They have a great selection of plants and pots. I like keeping mine in the containers, so I don’t mind no holes (and saucers take up space when your windows are already crowded). They’ll even drill a hole if you want it (small fee). It’s a business in Evanston- I think the prices are fair. If you want cheap plants and no service, try a HD. PS- they also have local artisan jewelry and a nice rewards program. I drive 35 mins to go specifically...