Why? Because this guy’s got the goods. 

As of late, Neil Serrano has been posted up in front of the Bean Bag on Sundays from 10am to 2pm hustling succulents. He has a pretty nice selection to offer, and he’s also downright pleasant to talk to.

How did Neil score such prime real estate? Simple. He’s neighbors with Bean Bag owner Mike Zagah out in Hercules, CA. On top of that, two of his children work at the cafe. Every Sunday he gives them a ride to work and sets his display out on the corner. At the end of the day, they head back together. It's a true carpool scheme where everybody wins.

Although Neil makes the far journey from Hercules, he himself is no stranger to Divisadero Street. He’s a retired employee of Kaiser Permanente up on Geary and has, in fact, been coming to the neighborhood for the past 38 years. 

When asked why he decided to specialize in succulents, he replied, “They’re the plants of the future. No watering!” He smiled at his exaggeration but noted a time he went on vacation and gained an appreciation for the resilience of the plants, which require very little maintenance. In reality, Neil has been gardening since 1968 and is no stranger to the fine art of plant-rearing. 

So next time you are strolling back from the farmers market, grabbing coffee or participating in any of the myriad weekend activities Divisadero has to offer, go see Neil, buy a plant and chat about the neighborhood. His products run anywhere from $5 to $40.