5 Minutes With … Clark Hudmon
Clark Hudmon is owner of Barn Owl Garden Center, a family-run business based in Carol Stream, Illinois, that has been serving the community for over 20 years.
How did you get involved in horticulture?
I suppose that I’ve been involved in horticulture pretty much my whole life. My mother and father started the Barn Owl when I was 11 years old, and prior to that, my father had his own tree and lawn service company. I would help out with the business, but it was never something I anticipated jumping into as a full-time career. It wasn’t until my father’s passing that I ever considered taking on the family business.
Once I began helping my mom pick up the pieces of his passing, this garden center lit a fire under me. It was inspiring watching my mother balance two jobs to keep the store together and guide us through those murky times. It was motivating seeing how our employees, customers and the community truly cared about the store’s well-being. It really pushed me to learn as much as I could about the inner workings of our family business. To this day, it feels like I learn new things and find new challenges that keep us on our toes.
What do you love about your job?
It is without a doubt the people. First off, my coworkers. I have had the benefit of knowing these people for a large portion of my life. I am able to see the things they really excel at and, in turn, I feel like they motivate me to improve myself and our business.
Next, it is our community. We strive to make the Barn Owl a capstone for our area — a place where neighbors can catch up and that folks are really proud to have in their backyard. Seeing examples of that within the shop is truly something that always fills us with great pride.
What keeps you up at night?
It feels like our world changes so rapidly, and our industry is no different. It is hard managing a small business as it is, but adding the seasonality to it brings some stress. We are currently working on our plant bookings for the 2026 season — which is still about nine months away — and it feels like every week we are hearing warnings of the economy changing, vendors sending price change notices and hearing uncertainties from our customers.
Even with all those, you know you cannot remain idle so it is trying to plan for the best season yet while preparing for the difficult situations that could arise. I feel very fortunate to have a great team to talk these things through and ensure we always are putting our best foot forward.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the green industry?
Trust your team and yourself. Having a strong team in this industry is paramount. It is hard to find great folks, so when they do come, trust them. When you create an open environment for a team structure to thrive, it allows for so many things to happen: It allows for folks to show their potential and take over duties within the organization. All this also translates into you being able to wrap your head around more of the business, it allows your coworkers to take ownership and pride in the business you are all building and, most of all, it makes it a great place to be around.
For the latter half, always trust yourself. There will be times where you inch to the edge and a decision has to be made. Just remind yourself of all the preparation, thought and work that got you to that edge. You did not just wind up there by accident, so embrace that feeling and don’t shy away from making the decision.
What’s something that few people know about you?
Man, I’m kind of an open book around here. I have been married to my wife for seven years, and we have been together for 15 (I was very slow to pop the question). She is an amazing, intelligent and patient person who has really helped navigate this life. We are super fortunate to have a 2-year-old son who is the high point of our days. Don’t worry, we have already taught him how to properly water.
Other than that, I enjoy distance running and am a massive Tottenham Hotspur fan. In other words, I go in search of pain and anguish.
Favorite plant to grow? Why?
This is the hardest question of the lot! I really enjoy working in my perennial garden. We recently moved so I am in the process of ripping and replacing. I like mixing in prairie natives with some of the more neat and cultivated plants. Making up a perennial bed is so much fun and can be such a unique way for a gardener to express who they are.
Videos
