Jul 24, 2017
Buses, Keynotes and New ProductsBy Abby (Kleckler) McGarry

Cultivate’17 is in the books. It’s crazy how fast four days can go when there’s so much to see and so many places to be. Did you attend? Whether you were there or not, we’ve got you covered.

I kicked off the Ohio extravaganza as co-captain of the Retail Tour Bus. We visited Oakland Nursery in New Albany, Wilson’s Garden Center and Fisher’s Gardens. The comment I kept hearing retailers say was: “All three were so different, but great in their own right,” or something to that effect. We know one size does not fit all!

Check out a video on the great signage and interactive activities for shoppers at Wilson’s Garden Center on our Facebook page. I’ve also added some photos of the stops to our Inspiration Book.

The actual trade show featured two keynotes. Read more about Jon Gordon, author of “The Energy Bus,” and his message of positive leadership and Craig Regelbrugge and Charlie Hall’s take on the State of the Industry.

You can’t miss the top 14 products as chosen by retailers like you walking the show floor. The Retailers’ Choice Awards is a wonderful program put on my The Garden Center Group and AmericanHort.

Do any of the 14 catch your eye as something you want to include in your lineup? Let me know at [email protected].

Friendly Competition

One of my favorite parts of the show was the Retail Merchandising Contest. Three magazine editors (myself included) were paired with three young retailers and got 20 minutes to create a display. Outside judges then collaborated to pick their favorite. See it all in a 50-second time-lapse video here.

How fun would this be at your store! Give employees a chance to show their creative side and get some great displays out of it. I’m sure there’s a million ways you could go about such a “contest!”

Cheers,

Abby


Abby (Kleckler) McGarry

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