Farmer’s markets, gardening events and open houses bring plant growers and shoppers together What makes a person go to local plant sale events and farmer’s markets? Is it the thrill of the plant hunt or a chance to mingle with fellow gardeners? Perhaps it is because it is a place to pick up plant treasures […]
Events to bring in the masses
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In a post-pandemic world, retailers can use classes and events to establish new traditions and spur repeat customer interactions Retail garden centers and nursery operations looking for more customer traffic often turn to in-store special events and classes. These give customers an added reason to drop in. While there, they may be tempted to buy […]
Loyal legions
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Building repeat business and loyal customers isn’t easy – but it works wonders Brenda Powell’s great-grandparents started Garland Nursery in Corvallis, Oregon, 84 years ago. The retail nursery, which sits on six peaceful acres in the country, has passed down through four generations and is now owned by Powell and her siblings, Lee Powell and […]
More than just plants
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Hard goods will help build sales, if retailers pay attention to customer needs There is no garden center without plants, but the stock carried shouldn’t necessarily end with green goods. By offering hard goods, retailers can increase the total value of the sale, build profit, and give customers what they want without making them go […]
A green renewal
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Trend watchers say green is the hot color, which has implications for garden retailers Whether muted or bright, foliage or flower, color drives the nursery industry, and many trend settlers say green is the Color of the Year for 2022. The first announcement came at last summer’s Cultivate’21 trade show from Garden Media Group, a […]
Michigan nurseries can resume operations
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has modified that state’s stay-at-home orders from March 23 and 30 with a new order issued April 24, thereby allowing the state’s green industry businesses to resume operations immediately — provided they follow “enhanced” social distancing rules, as required by the state. Although the state’s stay-at-home mandate was extended through May 15, […]
New Mexico garden retailers can reopen
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Independent nursery retailers in New Mexico have won the right to reopen for business, provided they do it via curbside pickup and/or delivery service only. The state government had previously left garden centers, retail nurseries and retail greenhouses off the state’s list of essential businesses, although farms — a category that includes wholesale growers — were […]
Garden centers must remain closed in Pennsylvania
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The Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA) submitted a request that independent, family-owned garden centers be considered essential businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, but received a response that no change would be made, according to the association website. Other states in the northeastern U.S., including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio, have allowed […]
Little Prince of Oregon creates retail referral program
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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, OAN member Little Prince of Oregon Nursery (Aurora, Oregon) has created an online affiliate marketing program called Garden Center 911. Under this program, retailers refer customers to the wholesale grower’s consumer website, www.littleprinceplants.com. Little Prince sells the plants and ships to the customer directly, and the retailer gets a 20% commission on each […]
OAN promotes ‘Safer Shopping’ garden retailers
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As a bittersweet side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are spending more time in their yards and gardens. They are eager to still tend their gardens, put in vegetable starts, beautify their yards, try new things and enjoy healthy outdoor time. But they also want to observe social distancing. To help them, the Oregon […]
