Taking Care of Mother (Earth)
So the last two or three weeks in Chicago have been warm, to say the least. I think we recorded the warmest June on record, with more than a dozen days above 90, and more than a handful of days flirting with triple digits. And how about those scary wildfires in Colorado? Sometimes (unfortunately) it takes extremes to make us become more aware of the soil beneath our feet and the sun above our heads … and how our lifestyles affect them or are affected by them.
That’s why you and your job is unbelievably important at this very moment – and even more so going forward. Everything you do is about taking care of the land around us and giving back. It’s refreshing to see “natives” sections popping up at garden centers and watch organic offerings garner the same retail space – if not more – than its synthetic counterparts. Times are a changin’ and you can have an influence on whether the change is for good. What are you doing in the garden center to bring in customers during the summer’s dog days?
Speaking of earth stewardness, Ballek’s Garden Center in Connecticut is celebrating 350 years of it. 350 years! Now, at a state and local level, July 7 and 8, is Ballek’s Garden Center Day. Read more about the honor here.
Story of the Year
We here at Lawn & Garden Retailer are fortunate enough to have Pesche’s Garden Center just a few minutes down the road from our office. It’s owner, Chris Pesche, is a tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy. If things are bad, he won’t sugar coat; when things are good, he’ll tell you his secrets for success. Because of his candid behavior, he’s a joy to interview.
In our July issue, we feature Pesche’s new and successful ad campaign that Chris developed with his garden center manager Clark Hermanson. Chris and Clark got personal, went after the big boxes and played up the significance independent businesses can have and should have in their respective communities. Check out the full story here.
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