Management

60451

Darwinism Versus 2022

One of the philosophies that the noted English naturalist Charles Darwin was known for was “the survival of the fittest.” Most people are familiar with this notion as it applies to natural evolution; the strongest... more »

60295

It Takes People, People!

I’ve mentioned in past columns that what has the biggest impact on your customers’ experience and your brand image isn’t your advertising and marketing, your product, your displays or your pricing; it’s the lowest-paid members... more »

59965

Who’s Driving Your Bus?

Who’s driving your bus? It’s a fairly straightforward question that most of you would answer, ‘I am!” After all, it’s your store and you get to set the rules, you get to select the merchandise... more »

59624

Creating a ‘Wow’ Experience for Your Customers

Recently I was driving with my 5-year-old grandson down to a Minnesota state park, where they have free-roaming bison you can sometimes see from an unprotected road running through the park. He’d been talking about... more »

59269

It’s All About Making Choices

The fall months are filled with both reflection on what transpired in the peak months of last spring and early fall, and looking forward with anticipation as we begin thinking about 2022. And it’s difficult... more »

59117

Keeping Your Brand Fresh

I recently came across a fairly succinct definition of a brand: “The intangible sum of a retailer or product’s attributes: its name, packaging and price positioning, its history, its reputation, and the way it’s advertised.”... more »

58950

Raising the Bar

While we may have thought the growth seen in 2020 was an anomaly, indications so far point to continued growth for 2021. With more Garden Center Group members reporting in our weekly department review (WDR),... more »

58794

Is Zookeeper Part of Your Job Description?

I had a sign that read, “My Office is Not a Zoo!” mounted by the entrance to my office when I worked for many years in retail buying, merchandising and marketing. Most people thought this... more »

58632

It’s More Than Just Semantics…

In my 26 years of working in senior positions in retail for both big box and smaller entrepreneurial companies, and then 25 years of helping advise companies and organizations as a consultant (yes, I really... more »

April 5, 2021

Garden Center Group Releases P&L Study Results

The Garden Center Group has released results from its 17th Annual P&L Study for 2020. The study, which was first conducted in 2004, has never seen the level of increases reported this year. The results... more »

58490

Making Plans for an Uncertain Future

Theresa Riley didn’t always aspire to own the family business. Her parents Harry and Mary Witte founded Rockledge Gardens in 1960, initially as a bulb-packing business. Through the ‘60s and ‘70s, it evolved into the... more »

58490

What Is Your Secret Sauce?

As you are about to embark on the most challenging months of your spring selling season, I tried to come up with something motivating and inspiring that could help cheer you on and I stumbled... more »