The scent hit them first — earthy, herbal, and oddly soothing. It clung to the air like incense that had been burning for decades, wrapping itself around the walls, the furniture, and the lingering energy of a hundred conversations that had gotten way too deep. Somewhere behind the counter, a lava lamp gurgled in psychedelic greens and oranges, casting shifting shadows against a faded tapestry that read: PLANTS ARE MEDICINE.

The bell above the door gave a half-hearted jingle as they stepped inside. Lo-fi beats played softly from an old Bluetooth speaker perched on a shelf between a ceramic gnome and a bumper sticker that simply read: Chill. The air was warm, heavy, and calm in a way that made the outside world feel miles away. The walls were cluttered with activism posters, vintage magazine covers, and quotes written in Sharpie: Fight the fog. Healing is a human right. Don’t panic — it’s natural.

Behind the glass counter, neatly labeled jars of dried herbs sat like rare artifacts, their names handwritten in loopy script: Midnight Melt, Wedding Crash Course, Ruth’s Rage. A tray of mysterious brownies winked under the fluorescent lights next to a half-unpacked box of calming pet treats. Someone had doodled a smiling leaf on the side of the box in neon green marker. A Himalayan salt lamp buzzed faintly nearby, next to a tip jar labeled For Pete’s Plants.

But the most eye-catching detail by far was the piece of paper taped to the front of the register: HELP WANTED: Must be cool, chill, and not extremely uptight. Beneath it, someone had scribbled in red ink: Seriously. Bring snacks.

From behind the beaded curtain that separated the storefront from whatever was going on in the back, a voice called out.

“Travis, did we ever fix the fridge? Or is it still making that noise like it’s dying from emotional damage?”

A pause.

“No? Okay. Probably just haunted. Carry on.”

The curtain swayed, but no one appeared.

The entire place radiated a kind of beautiful chaos — half business, half sanctuary, and maybe a little sitcom. Whether they’d come here for a job, for chill vibes, or simply to see what the weird Yelp reviews were about, it didn’t really matter now.

They were here. And it already felt like something was about to happen.