Cover Story

Wilson's Garden Center: Starting Fresh

Ned and Mitzi Wilson's vision for the future delivers a new garden center structure that maximizes space, efficiency and sales.

Slideshow: Wilson's Garden Center

Wilson's Garden Center's new retail structure offers an eye-catching new building with the flexibility to make the best - and most profitable - use of the space at any given time.

Features

State Of The Garden Center Industry: Spring 2010 

Despite a hodgepodge of adverse weather conditions this spring, results from our 2010 State of the Industry spring recap survey showed positive signs in foot traffic and sales growth. 

Signs Sell: Sale Signage

Well-done sale signage does an excellent job grabbing a customer’s attention and gets product moving off the shelf.

Five Questions With Shorty’s Garden & Home

Whether it’s e-mail communication, high-end phone systems, digital microscopes or POS-improved loyalty programs, Shorty’s Garden & Home proves it’s well deserving of its Revolutionary status.

More Updates At Shorty's Garden & Home

 In addition to improving in-house communication, this progressive Northwest garden center has made two key updates to make its customer service more efficient than ever before. 

Buyer's Market: Planters, Shears And Ponding

Check out these new products to improve your business. 

Theft In The Garden Center: A Growing Problem

Retailers discuss how to nip garden center theft in the bud.

Garden Tools: What Women Want

Manufacturers have learned gardening tools don’t always have to be tough and rough,  but colorful and comfortable to appeal to the garden center’s favorite customers – women.

Structures And Benches: Adding On

Looking to renovate on a smaller scale? Here are some new benching and greenhouses for garden center merchandising that are catching on across the country.

Temporary Garden Center Locations Are Popping Up Everywhere

Retailers are taking roadside stands to a new level with highly improved temporary locations.

Is A Floral Shop The Way To Go?

Garden center retailers talk about their floral departments and share tips to increase profitability.

P. Allen Smith Day At Pleasant View Shows How Plants Equal Value

Take advantage of this valuable opportunity to get a celebrity to talk trends and teach your customers the true value of plants.

Fall Season Varieties: Making The Most Of Fall 

These brand-new varieties can help elevate the season and excite your customers into one last planting. 

Fafard Has A Growing Business

The growing media company based in Massachusetts, has set the stage for a nationwide revitalization in the retail market in 2010.

Steal This Idea Gallery: Al's Garden Center

One garden center that knows how to inspire is Al’s Garden Center in Sherwood, Ore. But along with inspiring customers, Al’s is a great place for other retailers and designers to visit and take notes. This retailer has an eye for design – something every visitor can see.

Columns

Touchpoints By Pete Mihalek

The Cat's Away

Do you trust your young staff enough to let them take the wheel?

Management And Profitability By Sid Raisch

What Discounts Do 

Our industry’s need to excessively and improperly discount leads to the self-inflicted erosion of our products’ value.  

Strategies And Concepts By Kurt Fromherz

Back To Basics v.2010 

Retailing is, and always has been, about the customer. 

The Revolution By Richard Jones

Get Out

Don't wait for new customers to find you. Go out there and
bring them in.