Articles

Trials and Tribulations of Spring 2003

Extreme weather conditions, the war with Iraq and the weakened economy are just some of the factors that were noticed this spring for garden centers across the country. For the most part, garden centers came... more »

Wrap up the Package: Cash Wraps that Work

"Next in line" (sometimes but not often followed by "please") is the most common sentence heard by consumers shopping in today's retail environment. It's no wonder that the number-one consumer complaint for American shoppers is... more »

The Overlooked Training Partner

You have made the move and introduced the power of consistent in-house training into your organization and are already reaping the benefits. It may be that you have chosen the Lawn & Garden Retailer Training... more »

Something for Nothing

It must seem like we're constantly telling you to give stuff to your customers for free and to keep spending more and more money on customer satisfaction. But this idea won't cost you too much,... more »

TREND WATCH FOR RETAIL EQUIPMENT

With the continued success of mass merchants, independent lawn and garden retailers are looking for ways to improve businesses to stand out in the industry. Whether it is through the use of technology, improvement of... more »

RUSTY CART NIPPING AT YOUR PROFITS?

You know your store well, after all, you spend a lot of time in it, always trying to expand and improve your business. Every year, you focus on the problems holding you back. From store... more »

Home is Where the Party is

After the tragedy of September 11, the talk was that people were going to start staying home more, spending more money on things related to the home, and research shows that they did. Now, almost... more »

Not Again!

As I write this column, clouds are rolling in from the West for the tenth straight day of rain in metro-Chicago. We're soaked, and it's hard to get anyone motivated. Construction on the high-rise across... more »

Welcoming Potential Customers

Attracting new customers. It's an on-going problem for any retailer, lawn and garden retailers included. Especially if you've been in an area a long time, it's easy to get into the mindset that everyone knows... more »

Atrium Garden Center:

After getting through 3 feet of frost and a seven-month-long construction project, retail and nursery owner, Tim James and his wife Diane opened the newly renovated and renamed Atrium Garden Center on April 4, 2003.... more »

Is Your Team Costing You?

How often have you read articles in the press about the big box store retailers becoming the garden retail category killers and closing independent garden centers as they increase their market share? Yes, it is... more »

LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER HEADLINES

From OFA to You - By Joe Boarini Joe Boarini is president of OFA and Grande Greenhouse Inc., Indianapolis, Ind. He can be reached by phone at (317) 271-4446 or E-mail at [email protected] and the... more »