Blog

Mar 26, 2014
Warming Uppmihalek

The other day on my Facebook news feed, a hort-friend from Portland posted an image taken in Salem, Ore., of cherry blossoms doing their thing. A few minutes later a garden center owner from Massachus... more

Mar 12, 2014
Successful Swipespmihalek

In the last edition of Retail Report, I asked if you've had any experience with mobile credit card apps at your store. I asked that because I recently spoke on this very topic with Jennifer Schamber o... more

Feb 26, 2014
My Rent-A-Chair Monopolypmihalek

I spent three hours in line last Friday for some barbecue. Well, to be honest, it wasn't just some barbecue. The place worth the wait was Franklin Barbecue in Austin — touted by many food critics as... more

Feb 12, 2014
The Best Worst Winterpmihalek

Last week when our February issue reached the masses, my former garden center boss in Cleveland sent me this text: "Wish I was in your front cover. Looks great right about now. I'm over this winter." ... more

Jan 22, 2014
The Big Easypmihalek

I just caught myself up on the latest season of Bravo's Top Chef — a reality show meets cooking competition with professional chefs. This season the show is based in New Orleans, which is perfect be... more

Jan 8, 2014
A Chilly Startpmihalek

To friends, family and industry contacts, I think I've become that "annoying guy who lives in Arizona." During an interview on Monday with a Minnesota retailer, I mentioned how "It's chilly here, too,... more

Dec 23, 2013
Happy Holidays from Lawn & Garden Retailerpmihalek

Merry Christmas! Aside from this eNewsletter, I hope today is work-free and one full of family and food and a couple presents, too. But while I have your attention, let's talk shop for just a couple o... more

Dec 11, 2013
Bird Watchingpmihalek

Christmas trees, rock salt, firewood and bird seed. For many of you, these products help keep the cash register drawer from freezing until spring. That said, I'm hoping you can help me with a birding ... more

Nov 26, 2013
Say No to Texting and Yes to Facebookpmihalek

Sometime today we'll wrap up our journey east at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. I say "sometime" because the weather experts are calling for 2-6 inches of snow back in my old stomping ground... more

Nov 13, 2013
Los Angeles — Home of the Terrarium?pmihalek

Last week I spent three days tooling around the Greater Los Angeles area in search of my next favorite garden center. (And I thought Chicago traffic was bad.) From Santa Monica to West Hollywood to Ne... more

Oct 23, 2013
Slow Cooker Seasonpmihalek

While my Mom currently texts me with "chilly" and "rainy" forecast updates from Cleveland, we're right at that time of year here in Phoenix when you start to understand why people live here. The norm ... more

Oct 9, 2013
Have Car. Will Drive.pmihalek

From Philly to Disney World to Portland to Austin and plenty of cities in between, covering this industry for the last six years or so has provided me an awesome opportunity to see so many unique, top... more