Articles

Mind-Reading 101

In this article, I want to show you what your customers may really be looking for in your store. You may think you know the answers, but let me give you some solid evidence of... more »

A Hint of Things to Come

Well, it's over -- Christmas, that is. And with the 2001 season behind us, retailers are adding up numbers and evaluating sell-through on what is for many the second most important selling season of the... more »

What I Learned In Retail

Six years ago, Josh Schneider built his own garden center, Morning Dove Farms, in Mahomet, Ill. But a passion for new plants took him westward, where he is now director of sales and marketing for... more »

Turning Water into Dollars

Retailers of the relatively new field of water gardening are wondering if it's just a fad, or if it's here to stay. Should the water garden sales area be expanded or left alone? What new... more »

Twas the season for security…and sales

It was said to have been the slowest shopping season in more than a decade. But despite retail soothsayer predictions -- perhaps translating into a self-fulfilling prophecy for some -- that the 2001 Christmas season... more »

Staff Training: The Key to Success

In the perfect world of garden center retailing, fully-trained, self-motivated staff arrive on our doorsteps itching to punch in and eager to assist customers. Of course, only a few delusional garden center owners still cling... more »

Taking Mixed Containers Into Winter

On a recent garden center tour around metro-Chicago, our editors saw several retailers capitalizing on a popular spring trend: mixed containers. Yes, I said mixed containers in the middle of winter. But, with the threat... more »

Lawn & Garden Retailer: Inspired Solutions for Profitable Business

Welcome to the premier issue of Lawn & Garden Retailer, a magazine dedicated to giving L&G retailers the solutions they need to create more profitable businesses. Sounds good, doesn't it, but what does that really... more »

The Jewels of Garden Accent Merchandising

Understanding the dynamics of your garden center's location can help dictate the variety of garden accessory displays you can create to increase traffic and sales. Mark Hodesh, president of Downtown Home and Garden, Ann Arbor,... more »

A Cut Above in Montana

Our location, tucked back into a residential area, is a destination shopping space, but you need to know where we are to find us. Though we have a large, lit sign on Main Street, just... more »

Marketing Your Green Goods

Every April, the major U.S. plant breeders sponsor a 2-week event known collectively as the California Pack Trials. Growers, retailers and press from around the world traverse the Pacific coast during this time, marveling at... more »

GET IMPULSIVE

We have all bought off the cuff before. Think about it. How many times have you found yourself in the grocery checkout line looking at key-chains, toothbrushes or fingernail clippers? Did you really need that... more »