May 18, 2015

Motoring Around Michigan By Tim Hodson

Last week, Lawn & Garden Retailer’s managing editor, Abby Kleckler, and I spent three days in Michigan visiting seven garden centers across the state.

Since it was the week after Mother’s Day, we figured everyone would have had a couple of days to catch their breath and collect themselves.

We drove approximately 900 miles and made stops at Sawyer Garden Center in Sawyer; Wenke Greenhouses in Kalamazoo; Bordine’s Nursery in Grand Blanc; Wojo’s Greenhouse in Ortonville; Flowerland in Kentwood; Harder & Warner in Caledonia; and Cherry Valley Greenhouse in Middleville.

Despite a cold and damp Mother’s Day weekend throughout the state, every garden center we stopped at said it was still a very busy weekend for them.

What was even more encouraging is that everyone we talked to said, that so far, spring sales are up compared to 2014.

Since we were there in the middle of the week we we weren’t expecting to see a lot of shoppers but every garden center we visited was humming with activity – the parking lots were busy and consumers were loading their carts with plants and lining up at the cash registers. I’m sure they were even busier over this past weekend.

No one was bragging about huge double digit growth this spring, but everyone seemed optimistic that their overall 2015 season was going to be a good one and beat last year.

So how’s your spring been so far? Up? Down? The same as last year?

Drop me a line at thodson@greatamericanpublish.com and let me know.

Abby will have highlights of our trip in the July issue of Lawn & Garden Retailer.

Speaking of Garden Centers

The deadline to enter Lawn & Garden Retailer’s Merchandiser of the Year contest is less than a month away.

We want to recognize a garden center that is doing something really different or totally unique when it comes to retail merchandising. Maybe it’s your retail operation or maybe it’s one of your customers – either way, we want to hear about them and see what they are doing. The winning garden center will receive more than $3,000 in prizes from our sponsors Dramm and Braun Horticulture.

You can find all of the details for entering the contest by clicking here. The deadline for entries is June 15.

– Tim

The deadline to enter Lawn & Garden Retailer’s Merchandiser of the Year contest is less than a month away.

We want to recognize a garden center that is doing something really different or totally unique when it comes to retail merchandising. Maybe it’s your retail operation or maybe it’s one of your customers – either way, we want to hear about them and see what they are doing. The winning garden center will receive more than $3,000 in prizes from our sponsors Dramm and Braun Horticulture.

You can find all of the details for entering the contest by clicking here. The deadline for entries is June 15.

– Tim