Family Matters   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2008   By Paige Worthy
Getting into the garden center business was a learning experience for Joyce and David Hart, and they’re passing on their adaptability and enthusiasm — and, eventually, their store — to their children.

Coming Clean — Or Greenwashing?   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2008   By Jonathan Bardzik
As tempting as it is simply to jump on that eco-friendly bandwagon, consumers are now wising up and demanding more credibility behind the green marketing claims they’re hearing.

Web 301: Getting the Word Out   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2008   By Cathy Owano
Marketing your website will connect you with your current and future customers.

Managing a Multigenerational Workforce   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2008   By Carol A. Hacker
Learning how to motivate your diverse employee base and foster a team spirit — despite some fundamental differences — can ensure your business keeps running smoothly for years to come.

Selling Sustainability   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2008   By Jonathan Bardzik
A little business ingenuity goes a long way to help cut costs, generate unexpected profits and save the planet.

Take Business Into Your Own Hands   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2008   By Lisa Hattery
Want to process sales faster? How about keep a tighter control on inventory? Think wireless sales and handheld inventory and take your business to the next level.

Maintaining Relevance   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2008   By Stan Pohmer
Today’s economy is undeniably shaky. Could establishing better ties to your community be the ticket to staying there for good and turning a profit in the future?

Don’t Just Break the Rules…Change Them!   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2008   By Jonathan Bardzik
When you can’t seem to win at the sustainability game, just adapt your playing strategy until you find something that works for you. Here are a few ideas.
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Web 201: Complementing Design and Function   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2008   By Cathy Owano
Frustrating, annoying websites will lose their visitors quickly. Make your website’s organization and aesthetics prominent and appealing.
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Hit the Jackpot!   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2008   By Paige Worthy
The odds are good that this year’s National Hardware Show, set for May 6 to 8 in Las Vegas, will be a winning investment in your garden center’s business, despite its spring season timing. You can bet on it.
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Going to the Gift Shows   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2008   By Jasmina Radjevic
With so many gift markets to choose from throughout the year, it is impossible to attend all of them. So check out the following listings, and choose which ones will be most suitable for your garden center.
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The Next Generation   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2008   By Noah Schwartz
Boldly go where few garden centers have gone before by inviting younger employees to take initiative in shaping your business’ future.
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A Holiday Humdinger   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2008   By Paige Worthy
In already economically uncertain times, Christmas had many garden center owners on pins and pine needles. Find out how they fared during the 2007 holiday season — and hear what they have to say about it.
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A Fresh Start   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2008   By Paige Worthy
Despite the challenges that poured down on retailers last year, Lawn & Garden Retailer’s optimistic group of industry professionals forecasts sunshine after the rain for 2008.

Get On Board with “On-Boarding”   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2008   By Carol A. Hacker
Think your job is done when a candidate accepts your job offer? Think again. Investing time and resources into properly training, welcoming and engaging new hires can ensure smooth sailing for your business — and bottom line.

Web 101: Getting Your Garden Center’s Website Off the Ground   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2008   By Cathy Owano
Are you contemplating creating a website to increase the visibility and reach of your garden center? Before you dive in, take a moment to carefully plan out what your website will offer customers.

The coming year   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2008   By Stan Pohmer
Economic growth in 2008 is expected to be slow, if not stagnant. Here are a few ideas on how to keep your business on the fast track.

A Fad with Staying Power   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2008   By Jonathan Bardzik
Sustainability’s front-page trendiness seems to be fading, but it’s not going away — it’s up to our industry to help educate consumers and incorporate the big idea into their everyday lives.

Lawn & Garden Retailer and OFA’s First State of the Industry Survey   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Darhiana Mateo
How did lawn and garden center retailers fare in the past year, and what direction do they see the industry taking in the near future? This State of the Industry survey gives you an insider’s perspective into this evolving industry.

The Cost of Not Hiring   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Carol Hacker
Some retailers think they can save money by not hiring new employees. In reality, they may be missing out on sales and the happiness of current employees.

Rethink, Rework, renew, re-energize   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Stan Pohmer
The retail landscape is changing and changing fast. Successfully navigating this shifting landscape will require you to examine how you operate today — so you will still be operating tomorrow!

Making Uniforms Work For Your Business   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Darhiana Mateo
Do your employees wear uniforms? Many garden center owners and managers are realizing that uniformed employees can serve as highly visible, walking billboards, promoting your company’s name and professionalism.

Celebrate the Customer, the Merchandise, the Seasons   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Marti Ross Bjornson
The holiday season is the perfect time to discount products and get inventive with your merchandise. By focusing on the celebrations of the season rather than just setting up the typical sales racks, you can satisfy your customers and your bottom line.

The Impact of Display Gardens on Consumer Purchasing Behavior   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Emily Stefanski and James Gibson
As a retailer, your challenge is to enhance the shopping experience and promote sales. A new study suggests that display gardens can help you accomplish both by captivating the attention of your customers and igniting their imaginations.

Keeping (Your) Cash in Your Pocket   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Bill McCurry
Taking a proactive approach to obtaining expenditures for your business may affect your profit more than you realize. Find out what you can do to make sure you save more and spend less.

From Beans to Beats   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Meghan Boyer
Starbucks Coffee Co. wants to be known for more than premium coffee, which is why it launches new products, such as its music label, Hear Music. But do the fast growth and new ventures come at the expense of its core brand?

April Showers Really Do Bring May Flowers   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2007   By Catherine Evans
Garden centers all across the country weighed in on the 2007 spring season. See the results and how you compare.
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Loyalty   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2007   By Stan Pohmer
How will Tesco’s debut in the United States impact business on other retail segments?
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Focusing On Service   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2007   By Meghan Boyer
Excellent service is something every retailer wants to achieve. The Ritz-Carlton, a leader in customer service, has internal structures in place to ensure every guest at the company’s hotels and resorts has a pleasant, consistent experience.
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Getting The Most From Seasonal Employees   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2007   By Carol Hacker
Many businesses need extra employees at different times of year — but especially during the holidays. Here are some helpful tips to make sure you hire the right seasonal employees and get the most out of them in your garden center.
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Creating An Animated Christmas Fantasyland   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2007   By Ralph Gaudio
Christmas merchandise is every where during the holiday season, and competition can get tough. Transform your garden center into a Christmas wonderland and watch your sales grow.
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Listening (And Responding) To You   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2007   By Bill McCurry
If one person asks a question or gives a response, it’s likely there are others out there thinking the same thoughts. This month’s column addresses some interesting reader feedback I have recently received.
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Battling The Big Boys: Rules Of Engagement For Independents   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2007   By Peter Konjoian
The big boxes are riding closely on your coattails of quality and service. Learn how you can compete and stay ahead of the game.
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Make Your Move   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2007   By Jasmina Radjevic
Moving an entire business is never easy. Find out what the owners of Boulevard Flowers did to make the transition as smooth as possible and to encourage customers to follow.
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Personalizing The Experience   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2007   By Meghan Boyer
Curves, the international fitness franchise for women, attributes much of its success to its community of loyal clients. Each one receives a personalized experience when she walks into a club.
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Pohmer On...Clairvoyant Or Close Minded...A Subtle Difference   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2007   By Stan Pohmer
Understanding all the market segments is key to becoming a successful retailer. The first step is always most difficult: Are you willing to admit you don’t know how other generations think?
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Profitable Or Not: A Guide to Evaluating Garden Centers   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2007   By Roger Hinson
Learn the results from a study about costs of establishing and operating retail garden centers, particularly regarding capital needs, operating costs and general procedures for creating and operating such businesses.
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Raising The (Chocolate) Bar   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2007   By Meghan Boyer
Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge is working to change consumers’ perception of gourmet chocolate from a special-occasion treat to an everyday indulgence.
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Is Your Store Technologically Advanced?   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2007   By James Dion
Using outdated technology can be devastating for independent retailers. An investment in the right technology can be costly up front but may benefit your business over time.
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Consider A Return On Individuals   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2007   By Bill McCurry
For the benefit of your business, offer employees the necessary continuing education to keep them up to speed and focus on their performance goals and results.
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Signage 101   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2007   By Emily Stefanski and James Gibson
Hand-written signage is a thing of the past. Learn the new ways you can give your garden center direction with ease and clarity.
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Pohmer On...I’m Confused!   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2007   By Stan Pohmer
Are you competing to the full extent with the big box stores? They are starting to encroach on your coattails; are you going to let them?
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Be A Lean, Money-Making Machine   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2007   By Bill McCurry with Andy Rogish
Understanding and implementing the principles of lean manufacturing can help you look at and execute your core business in a totally different way, which can benefit your operation and even profit structure.
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Pohmer On: Alphabet Soup…Time to Go Back to School?   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2007   By Stan Pohmer
Product, Price, Place, Promotion, Passion and People are the six P’s that can help make almost any business successful…if they are done correctly.
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Independents: Setting Themselves Apart   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2007   By Emily Stefanski and James Gibson
What are some of the best ways to show your uniqueness in the gardening marketplace? Here are some ideas that might work for you in your store.
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Choose To Differentiate   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2007   By Meghan Boyer
Instead of competing in size with its competition, Caribou Coffee chooses to focus on product quality and customer service. Find out how this coffeehouse company deals with its own “big box” counterpart.
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Jumping Financial Hurdles   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2007   By Bill McCurry
Learn how to avoid additional tax pitfalls for your garden center in the second part of this 2-part series.
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Business To Business The Community Way   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2007   By Marti Ross Bjornson
Developing local community relationships can make a huge difference in your customer base. See what some fellow garden centers around the country are doing to make this happen at their stores.
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Offering Everything Consumers Need   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2007   By Meghan Boyer
At PetSmart, business has gone to the dogs (as well as other pets) and that’s a good thing. PetSmart is a 1-stop shop for all the products and services pet owners need. The company’s goal is to offer customers lifetime care for their pets (and gain lifetime customers in the process).
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21 Ways to Applaud Success   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2007   By Carol Hacker
Businesses that are able to keep motivated employees generally have a strategic, competitive advantage over the competition. Here are 21 ways to let your employees know they count.
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Experiencing A World of Ideas   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2007   By Meghan Boyer
ANLA provided attendees with “A World of Ideas” at the 2007 Management Clinic, which bundled networking opportunities, educational sessions and a lot of fun all into one event.
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Retailers Seek Converts!   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2007   By Stan Pohmer
Just because you have a solid customer base doesn’t mean you can’t afford to get more. See how you can do this and what it will take to add those converts to your store.
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Browsing the Gift Markets   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2007   Compiled By Jasmina Radjevic
Explore the world of gift markets and choose which ones will benefit your business.
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The Retailer and the Taxman   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2007   By Bill McCurry
While it isn’t a popular topic for many people, preparing your business’ taxes and making sure Uncle Sam gets the right amount is a necessary concern. Learn what you should and shouldn’t be focusing on when it comes to taxes in the first part of this 2-part series.
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Previewing The National Hardware Show   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2007   By Jasmina Radjevic
The industry’s must-attend annual event is quickly approaching; have you registered yet? Here are some reasons why you won’t want to miss this year’s show.
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Getting the Most Out of Vendors and Trade Shows   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2007   By Emily Stefanski and James Gibson
Learn how to work with your product reps as well as shop the trade shows efficiently.
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Putting Employees First   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2007   By Meghan Boyer
Costco Wholesale has built a reputation for consistently treating its employees well. Read on to find out what the company does for its employees and why it chooses to do so.
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Inventory... An Asset or a Liability?   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2007   By Stan Pohmer
Inventory control is one of the most important aspects of any retail business. It is the best way to know what sells and what doesn’t. Make sure you are doing everything correctly so you can ensure your business stays on top of its game.
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Being Cart Smart   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2007   By Meghan Boyer
There are many uses for carts in the garden center, from helping consumers shop to increasing employee efficiency. Read on to learn more about carts and what they can do for your business.
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Getting to Know Mulch   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2007   By Meghan Boyer
Your customers may not know a lot about mulch, let alone the different options available and their effects on a garden, which means it’s up to you to teach them the dos and don’ts of mulch.
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Keeping It In The Family   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2007   By Bill McCurry
Learn more about what to do (and not to do) when it comes to family business succession in the second part of this 2-part series.
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Is The Customer Always Right?   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2007   By Carol Hacker
Good customer service goes a long way in keeping your customer content. Consider establishing a customer service plan and training your employees in your retail rules to keep everyone — employees and customers alike — happy.
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Learn To Buy In Bulk   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2007   By Jasmina Radjevic
Thinking about making a bulk purchase? Here are some points to consider when making a large quantity order.
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How Safe Is Your Garden Center?   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2007   By Barbara Mulhern
These tips can help ensure safety is a priority for employees at your garden center.
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The Not-So-Big Garden Center: Being Right About Demographics   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2006   By Judy Sharpton
The Industry is changing, and it’s important to really know who your customers are — from their perceptions of garden centers to what they want for their back yards.
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Return Policy Power   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2006   By Lisa Anderson Mann
Don’t get burned by returns: A good return policy leaves both you and your customer satisfied after a return transaction. Here are some factors to consider when creating and implementing such a policy.
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The Not-So-Big Garden Center: The Customer Has To Park   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2006   By Judy Sharpton
Learn how two garden centers turned bad parking placement into ideal spring sales.
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Is Storage Costing You?   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2006   By Jon Schreibfeder
The items you keep in your stock inventory could be decreasing your profitability. To prevent this, develop an approved stock list and determine the profitability of specific items and product lines.
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Seasonal Help 101   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2006   By Carol Hacker
From where to find applicants to how to train them — learn how to get the most from seasonal employees.
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Protecting Your Garden Center From Theft   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2006   By Robert Noonan
Whether it comes from employees or customers, theft can be hard to handle, which is why it is important to know your rights as a business owner.
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It’s Not How Much You Sell — It’s How Much You Get To Keep   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2006   By Steve Bailey
See what you can do to make sure your garden center gets to keep what it earns.
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A Gift Market Overview   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2006   Compiled by Meghan Boyer
This informative guide to the gift markets can help you choose which ones are the best fit for your needs.
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Employee-Pricing Promotions   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2006   By Lisa Anderson Mann
It seems car makers found success by offering employee discounts to customers this past summer. What are the pros and cons of adopting a similar promotion at your garden center?
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Seven Steps To Hiring Honest Employees   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2006   By James W. Bassett
Learn how you can stop employee theft in your store.
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Achieving Christmas Success   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2006   By Ralph Gaudio
From planning through promotions, this case study will show you how to be successful this holiday season.
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Surveying Christmas   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2006   By Catherine Evans
Find out how your peers did this past holiday season and how it might help you plan for your second most popular season.
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Power To The Independents   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2006   By Dan Rafter
Buying groups give garden centers leverage to compete.
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Test For The Best   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2006   By Carol Hacker
Testing applicants could result in a top-notch hire, but there are many things to consider before administering a test.
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Is an Onsite Workshop for You?   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2005   By Judy Sharpton
Learn how this not-so-big garden center got a free consulting session by hosting a simple workshop at its store.
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A Uniform Approach   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2005   Carrie Burns
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It’s Buying Time Again   Lawn & Garden Retailer September 2005   Bridget White, Editorial Director
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Spring Ahead but Don’t Fall Behind   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2005   By Catherine Evans
“The weather is the single most factor, as most of your readers know. Recently we had temperatures in the low 80s, and we were busy. But then it hit the low 90s, and we were slow…it’s not rocket science.” -Tim Parker
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Profiting from Christmas   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2005   By Ralph Gaudio
Some say Christmas is all about the children. In this case, it may be true, and no one knows this better than their parents. In order to separate yourself from the run-of-the-mill stores it is imperative that you reach the children.
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Business-to-Business Transactions   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2005   By Meghan Boyer
What you need to know about providing corporate gifts to make your holiday season merrier.
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Ridding Retail of Pests   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2005   By Tina Smith
A comprehensive outline on keeping the pests off of your retail floor.
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Everything I ever needed to know...   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   Bridget White, Editorial Director
You don’t get fans on their feet with an easy-catch fly ball; the big plays steal the show.
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Adding a New Station   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By Bridget White
You already know that any time you can bring people into your store it means more money, but have you thought about using more than plants and fertilizer as bait? Many garden centers now carry home décor and gift items as a regular part of their offering. What about other items? What about products that are not usually considered garden products…things like pet supplies and gourmet food? These kinds of ancillary categories are proving profitable for garden centers around the country.
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Exploit Your Differences   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By Russ Manthy
Perhaps the common thread running through all our examples is the “fun thing.” Customers know when you and your staff like what you’re doing, and they also know when you are just pushing product on them.
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ABC's of Sign Making… the Digital Way   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By John Peterman
There’s probably nothing worse than spending $3,000 on your new sign printer and then looking in the box for something that can magically make signs pop out of it, only to discover there’s no sign genie inside your bottle.
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Dead armadillos…   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By Stan Pohmer
Play your game, not your competitors’. It’s as important to know who you are not as it is to know who you are.
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Lawn & Garden Retailer Headlines   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   Compiled by Catherine Evans
The latest news from inside the lawn and garden industry.
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Boost Profits with Trial Gardens   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2005   By Rick Schoellhorn and Marc Frank
These wells of information come and go, and most retail nurseries never even know they exist. Part of the problem is that the best times to visit these gardens coincides with a garden center’s busiest time of year, making trials difficult to attend.
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Accessibility for All   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2005   By Carrie Burns
The ADA ensures that people with disabilities are easily able to access stores and other places of business.
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Hands-on For Happier Customers   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2005   By Carrie Burns
I think you can see where I’m taking you with this story, so I’ll just spit it out — demos!
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Trade Shows of the Gift Market   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2005   By Mackenzie Gaffney
There are six shows listed; but please remember this is not a complete listing of the shows dedicated to the gift market. These are some just to get you started.
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Writing A Successful Business Plan   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2005   By Charles R. Hall
Managers sometimes argue that it is useless to write a business plan because the marketplace is changing so rapidly that any plan is quickly outdated.
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Braving the California Coast   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2005   By Carrie Burns
The 2005 California Pack Trials are sure to provide new, unique and must-have varieties for your future green goods mix.
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Understanding UCCnet, Part I   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2005   By Randy Goldbeck
After attending the Hardlines Technology Forum in April 2004, I realized that a major restructuring of the behind-the-scenes processes used by mass market retailers was already well underway, but I didn’t know how quickly it would happen. When we received word late last year that some of the largest retailers of green goods would be implementing those processes in 2005 and that the vast majority of our industry had yet to even hear about this technology, we started working on this article. “Understanding UCCnet,” attempts to familiarize you with this new operating system. This is a very technical subject, so we apologize in advance for throwing so many new concepts at you and for using so many unfamiliar acronyms. — Bridget White
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Christmas Show Success   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2005   By Ralph Gaudio
The onus will be on your buying team to be sharp, creative, open minded, cutting edge and most importantly dollar conscious.
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Winding Down the Christmas Season   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2005   By Catherine Evans
I have spoken to a number of retailers across the country about the recently past holiday season, and I have been told one thing over and over again, painted poinsettias were a hit across the board.
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Discipline for a Fair Workplace   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2005   By Bernie Erven
Three guidelines can help: take effective preventive action, use effective techniques, and reward supervisors and employees.
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Your Community - Your Business   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2005   By Carrie Burns
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Pesticide Basics   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2005   Compiled and an introduction by Bridget White
Bulletins and tip sheets, like this one published by The University of Florida, can be very helpful in this regard.
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Keeping Up   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2005   By Carrie Burns
Trade shows, magazines, suppliers… there are many ways to keep up on the trends. Which is most popular, and how can you step it up a notch?
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Committed Employees   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2005   By Carol Hacker
Employees who feel like they make a difference in your business will work harder to never let you or the business down. Here are a few ways to make that happen.
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Industry Leader Forecast   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2005   Compiled by Bridget White
What do you think is the biggest opportunity for independent garden centers in 2005?
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Weights and Measures Update   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2005   By Jonathan Bardzik
Weights and measures laws exist to protect consumers. The goal is to allow consumers to make price and quantity comparisons between similar products.
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