July 2015

Outside the Vines: Eat, Shop, Italian

Carefully tailored signage encourages shoppers to wander an open floor plan filled with high-quality products at one specialty food store.

Exposing the “Inner Birder”

These three tips will help develop the wild bird business in your store.

Fresh Perspectives: Gardening with Magic

Streamline the components of your miniatures lineup for retail success.

Merchandising Mavens

Take a look at the five finalists for our 2015 Merchandiser of the Year competition.

Give This a Try

I worked at a small, family-owned coffee shop on and off for six years. From the day I turned 16, I learned that the more I smiled when customers walked in the door, the more tips I got. I learned tha... more

Outside the Vines: A Bold Blend

Adagio Teas does a lot of its business online, but at one of its stores in Naperville, Illinois, the company creates an experience any retailer can learn from. Merchandising is very intentional, wi... more

The Times They Are A-changin’

Bob Dylan had the right idea in the song with the above title from 1963. We can take some comfort in life and in business that there are some immutable principles or physical laws that exist, things s... more

Think Outside the (Big) Box

Getting customers to walk out the door with products is the goal, but getting them to leave with knowledge is how IGCs can thrive.

Michigan Merchandising

There's no better inspiration than that of other garden centers. Here are some ideas that caught our eye on a trip to the Great Lake State.

Maximizing Trade Show Success

Use these five tips to take you from trade show planning to measurable outcomes.

Striking New Selections

Bred for beauty and performance, these new varieties turned heads at the 2015 California Spring Trials.

Fresh Perspectives: Growing the Menu

Milaeger's has found new and unique ways to get customers coming into the garden center on a regular basis.

Back Again

I recently walked up to Gayle's Best Ever Grilled Cheese stand at the farmer's market near my apartment in Chicago. On this particular day, Gayle didn't ask for my name, but instead just wrote "Abby" ... more