North Park Nursery by Mooch

North Park Nursery by Mooch is a 9-month-old retail nursery located on a multipurpose lot on the corner of Thorn and 32nd. Lovingly called the "punk rock nursery" by its owner, Paul Hunyady, the space utilizes repurposed vintage and salvaged finds in both office and retail space. All office equipment is either repurposed or vintage, including lockers, desks and filing cabinets that have been repainted and reclaimed, or made from materials leftover from Hunyady's exterior design company, Mooch Exterior Designs, that would otherwise be lost to landfills, such as tile, wood and rock. In addition, all plant tables were made from this leftover wood and metal panels that were found on-site when the nursery moved in. The North Park Nursery entrance sign and pergolas in the tropical section are made of reclaimed bargewood that washed ashore in La Jolla after the 2011 tsunami. The nursery is not only sustainably built and maintained, but this ethos is carried throughout the products they supply - all plant and products are locally sourced, reducing the miles traveled by each, keeping money within a selection of small Southern California growers. There is a large selection of native and water-wise plants available to customers, and there are two rain barrels and smart irrigation controllers on site to ensure efficient use of water. In addition, the nursery features a vertical succulent planter made of reclaimed pallets, a planter made of reclaimed cinder blocks and an exterior green roof. The nursery is also an active member of the community, giving back to local schools, participating in the Old House Fair and offering design and landscape services to neighborhood businesses such as Ripe Produce, Salon Eros and volunteering to care for street corner planters in front of Cafe Madeleine, Rebecca and others. North Park Nursery is a small-scale project with an enormous impact on the community and a commitment to sustainability.