Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Pigeon.
Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The Plant is a 17-acre food and beverage destination in Pittsboro built on a property with a remarkable history. In the 1940s, the site was home to Sunshine Gardens, once the largest flower farm in the United States. The farm was particularly famous for its chrysanthemums and even supplied flowers for President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration.
In the 1980s, the property took on an entirely different identity when it became an aluminum alloy manufacturing facility producing components for military aircraft. After the plant closed, the property sat largely vacant for nearly a decade, behind fences and barbed wire.
In 2004, Lyle Estill, Tami Schwerin, and Lyle’s brother Mark Estill acquired the property with a vision for creating a sustainable, locally focused industrial community. They transformed the site into Piedmont Biofuels, producing biodiesel from used cooking oil.
As the biofuels industry changed, so did The Plant. Beginning in the early 2010s, businesses such as Fair Game Beverage Company helped shift the property toward food, craft beverages, art, retail, and community gathering. The site gradually evolved into the eclectic destination it is today, now home to a diverse collection of small businesses, artists, makers, restaurants, beverage producers, and recreational experiences.
Today, The Plant describes itself as a “creative playground” where local business, art, music, food, nature, and community come together. Its history is really a story of reinvention: from flower farm, to industrial manufacturing site, to biodiesel plant, and ultimately to a thriving community destination in Pittsboro.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Yes, of course! The biofuel industry didn’t take off as expected, so Lyle and Tami had to pivot, shifting their focus toward food, beverage, and the growing community of businesses that ultimately became The Plant.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As the Director of Communications at The Plant, I am responsible for creating, coordinating, marketing, and executing large public events and festivals. I am proud of growing the public events business here. It brings me so much joy to create a safe and fun environment for people of all walks of life to enjoy.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think The Plant will continue to evolve as Pittsboro and Chatham County grow. Over the next 5–10 years, I see The Plant becoming an even stronger destination for food, beverage, art, music, nature, and community events, while continuing to support independent local businesses.
I also think we’ll see a greater emphasis on public art, outdoor experiences, sustainability, and programming that brings people together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theplantnc.com
- Instagram: @theplantnc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=the%20plant
