McDonald Garden Center, Hampton Roads, Virginia
Year founded:
1945 in Hampton, Virginia. We celebrate our 80th anniversary next year!
What is your garden center known for?
McDonald Garden Center is, of course, known for exceptional service, unrivaled plant quality and cultivated knowledge — but a lot of garden centers across the country say that.
How do you set your store apart from the big boxes?
All of our McDonald Garden Center locations offer a unique experience that sets us apart from box stores but this is especially evident at our biggest location, on Independence Boulevard in Virginia Beach. Here, the unconventional store layout, numerous trees planted by our founder, and the expansive glass greenhouse provide a botanical garden experience, unlike the typical retail environment. It’s like shopping at an Olmstead park, and we hope the customer just finds enjoyment in being in the space, regardless of why they chose to shop there that day.
Around 2009, after an economic downturn had all of America’s businesses on their toes, worried about future proofing, McDonald Garden Center knew we needed to diversify our portfolio. So, in lieu of opening a brick and mortar in the middle of “uncertain times,” how do we expand, yet remain conservative and cautious? Well, if you can’t bring Mohammad to the mountain, bring the mountain to Mohammad, right? Enter the McDonald Garden Markets, which met our customers where they needed our products the most — in their backyards, and at a time they wanted it the most — spring and early summer. These temporary structures are some of the best offerings you can get from a local IGC, squashed together in a freestanding, totally mobile structure. This allows us to try out new areas of the Hampton Roads area, expand our brand power, and most importantly, fill our community’s need for high-quality plant materials.
On top of all of that, we need to make the brand come alive. So we add that special sauce — events! We have sales events, we have experience-only events, we have workshops, we have seminars — and we do it in a BIG way. This takes buy-in from all fronts, and that’s not always easy, but it’s so worth it, and our customers have come to love us for it.
How is your store involved in your local community?
McDonald Garden Center is deeply involved in the Hampton Roads community of southeastern Virginia through a variety of engaging events. Throughout the year, we collaborate with local gardening clubs and societies to provide the public with in-depth knowledge on specific gardening topics. Additionally, we often include small local businesses in our events, creating unique, experience-based workshops such as goat yoga and sound bath classes.
One of our most notable events is the annual Make A Scarecrow event, held in partnership with the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD). Participants create scarecrows for the fall season, with most of the proceeds benefiting CHKD. This cherished event has raised over $400,000 for CHKD, supporting their hospitals and making a significant impact in our community.
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