Jan 9, 2017
The Next GenerationBy Abby (Kleckler) McGarry

People are some of a company’s best assets, and we want to give you a chance to recognize those up-and-coming stars in the industry.

Lawn & Garden Retailer’s sister publication, GPN, is now accepting nominations for its 40 Under 40 Class of 2017. Over the years, this program has recognized 200 individuals from all parts of the industry — retail having a strong presence!

You can read the stories of many of these honorees in our Fresh Perspectives column in the magazine or online.

Pamela and Nick Baker have helped Baker’s Acres Greenhouse and Garden Center become a destination for unique plant material; Kyle Canoyer has expanded Canoyer Garden Center since coming into the family business more than a decade ago; Kara Kading has found unique ways to get customers of all ages coming into Milaeger’s on a regular basis; and there’s many more stories like this!

Do you know someone under 40 years old who’s doing a stellar job in the industry? You have until Jan. 23 to nominate them.

The Shopping Experience

In a newsletter last month I wrote about Amazon Go, a high-tech shopping experience being tested in Seattle where shoppers with the app can simply walk into the store, grab the items they want and walk out.

What’s the position of brick-and-mortar stores? How do you compete? What should garden centers be doing online? How do you get people to come into the store?

It’s sparked quite a few conversations, and keep your thoughts coming. I want to share with you two articles that caught my eye on the topic. “What We Would Miss in an All-Amazon-Shopping World” in The New Yorker is a longer read, but well worth it. “#RetailRelevancy … Expectations, Engagement, and Customer Experience” on Ted Rubin’s blog is a quick read and talks about the importance of being human even when online.

Let me know what you think!

Cheers,

Abby

 

 


Abby (Kleckler) McGarry

Abby (Kleckler) McGarry is the managing editor of Lawn & Garden Retailer. Contact her at [email protected].