Young entrepreneur plants roots in Crediton

Merrin Paff opened Merlyn’s Roadside Stand in Crediton over the Victoria Day long weekend this year. From her stand, she sells plants that she grows with her grandmother in Parkhill. She also plants to expand into selling vegetables

By Dan Rolph

A young girl’s new business venture in Crediton is becoming a well-known spot for garden lovers throughout the region to find locally sourced plants.

Merlyn’s Roadside Stand is run by Merrin Paff, 10, where she sells a wide and changing selection of plants at a low price from a stand at her home in Crediton, located at 19 Victoria Avenue West.

Having started gardening with her grandmother about two years ago, Merrin stocks the stand with plants she grows alongside her grandmother in her garden and greenhouse in Parkhill.

“Their greenhouse is so hot,” said Merrin.

The idea for her plant stand came from her grandmother, pitched as a way for Merrin to earn extra money, learn more about plants and get experience running a business.

The name of her stand, however, has roots going back much earlier.

When Merrin was added to her junior kindergarten roster in 2019, her name got changed on the list somewhere in the process, calling her “Merlyn” instead. That error lasted weeks before it was corrected, but the name has stuck in her mind since then.

When she was coming up with what to call her stand, using “Merlyn” over her real name seemed fitting.

Since opening on the Victoria Day long weekend, dozens of customers have stopped by to stock up on plants at an affordable price, with the most expensive offerings costing just $5. Some plants are listed at $3, but buyers can get $1 off when they purchase two of those for $5.

Buying a plant at the stand is a straightforward process. Visitors will find each plant’s price has been marked on its pot, and a lockbox for cash payments makes the process quick. If they’re able, buyers are also asked to return the plastic pots the plants come in so they can be used again.

Merrin said some of her most popular plants have been her hostas, including junes, snake eyes and golden tiaras. Those plants also happen to be some of Merrin’s favourites, though she said she’s also grown to love many different plants as she’s continued running her stand.

“(My favourite part is) seeing how many kinds of different plants there are,” she said.

Though she started her stand with plants back in May, Merrin said it’s the summer harvest that she is most passionate about — vegetables.

Once they’re ready, Merrin plans to stock vegetables including garlic, cucumbers, radishes, broccoli and beans, making freshly harvested and locally grown produce available in her community.

Though she’s been having success since she opened her stand, there have also been challenges along the way. Some visitors have taken plants without paying.

In a social media post informing the community about their issues with theft, Jenn Paff, Merrin’s mother, announced that they would no longer be accepting e-transfer payments because of individuals who have chosen not to pay for their plants.

“The most disheartening thing is trying to explain to your 10-year-old why adults would blatantly steal from a child,” she wrote in her post.

But even though there have been speedbumps along the way, Merrin plans to continue adding a little extra greenery to her community with her stand. And with support from neighbours and plant lovers alike, Merlyn’s Roadside Stand has plenty of room to keep growing.