Open Register

Longfellow's Greenhouse is business of the year

Longfellow's Greenhouse in Manchester, Maine, has been named 2009 Business of the Year, The Kennebec Journal reported. The business was recognized by the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce. Read more about the honor here.

-- Sarah

Photo of the week

Before the Yuletide season comes to a close, we bring you some photos of the fantastic Christmas displays at DeWayne's Home & Garden Showplace in Selma, N.C.

Here's what Marcia Woodall, the store's marketing coordinator, had to say about this photo of the week submission: "These are a few of my favorites. Debra L. Raynor and her merchandising crew transformed our greenhouse into a Christmas decor showroom! Customers visit upstairs to see the year-round displays (all new designs for '08) and they visit the greenhouse to find even more designs for the season!"

 

 

 

What to do with your surplus poinsettias

I was speaking with Bob Sickles of Sickles Market yesterday about his loyalty program, which he has had up and running about a year. He said that you need about a year to gather enough data on your customers to make it work for you.

Bob was the third or fourth retailer I had spoken to that day, and of course each conversation included how the Christmas season was going so far. Prior to my talk with Bob, all the reports had been on the dismal side. Bob, though, said he’d just got a call from his cashiers that sales were booming today.

I immediately assumed the sales were all from his gourmet grocery store department. He said, no, the cashier who called is assigned to garden.

He attributed the uptick in sales to how they thanked their most loyal customers this year. Every loyalty card customer who had spent more than $5,000 at Sickles Market this year had a quality poinsettia delivered to their home by a Sickles employee.

“The response has just been tremendous,” Bob told me. “People are coming in and hugging employees and saying thank you.” And, according to that cashier, they were shopping.

I’m hearing from a lot of retailers that poinsettia sales are low this year. Sickles Market’s idea of giving away poinsettias to truly loyal customers seems like a perfect use of those surplus plants.

Why? Because everybody is scared right now. They’re scared about job security, about their 401Ks. And they’re even worried about the local stores staying in business, because they are the basis of the local economy.

With each of those deliveries, Sickles Market was sending the message that its management wasn’t scared. That they still are solvent enough to send tokens of appreciation.

Now, in reality, Bob Sickles is just as concerned as the next retailer. But he says it’s vital that his customers and his employees have faith in his store, or both groups will abandon him for more something more secure.

So who can you deliver poinsettias to this weekend?

-- Carol

ANLA hosts Early Bird Blog Spectacular

American Nursery & Landscape Association will post a new entry on its Management Clinic blog every hour today—the last day the association is offering its early bird registration discount for the 2009 Management Clinic. Industry leaders, including business owners, consultants and editors will provide ideas for managing costs, driving sales, targeting new customers and motivating staff. The 2009 Management Clinic will be held Feb. 6-9 in Louisville, Ky.

-- Sarah

Greeting cards offer subdued holiday message

The giants of the greeting card industry are hawking cards with sober, heartfelt messages, The Wall Street Journal reported. Elements that won’t be showing up on cards this year are signs of economic excess. “The cards with a lot of shopping bags or gifts piled high, the excess we thought was so cute last year, doesn't work now,” said Candace Corlett, president of New York consulting firm WSL Strategic Retail. “We don't want to be reminded of our aggressive consumerism.”

-- Sarah

Home grown

Without question, there’s one question I get asked more than others – no, surprisingly enough, it’s not, “Yalester, how have you managed to maintain your boyish looks after all these years?” Indeed, when industry folks want an answer they usually want one about trends that will affect the manner by which they will (A) run the company or (B) happily and profitably retire from the company.

Usually, I tell the inquisitor that he/she might as well build the business plan on the advice from a fortune cookie – especially in this market, where so many factors out of your control, control the outcome.

That said, I do believe there are certain people and groups that take a better industry pulse than do others, and I believe Susan McCoy and the Garden Media Group fit both bills, often like a garden glove. And McCoy, the group’s prez and resident trendspotter, says this is a 2009 gardening theme you can take to the bank:

“From blueberries to houseplants, ‘grow it yourself’ – or GIY – is the new mantra as folks turn ‘back to the future’ to simplify their lives ... It’s a resurgence of gardening for the greater good – for the earth and our wallets. The most exciting movement seems to be that gardening is popular again, particularly among younger homeowners.”

I recently did some research of my own, polling lawn and garden retailers in and around most of the nation’s bigger metropolitan areas. My findings mirrored those of the GMG, only they were even more specific: Vegetable gardening is all the rage.

So, there you have it: Two out of two longtime lawn and garden observers say GIY is A-OK. I can’t vouch for Ms. McCoy, but my input on the subject will cost you two cents.

-- Yale

Delhi Flower & Garden Center opens new location

Delhi Flower & Garden Center in Cincinnati has opened its new location in time for the holidays, The Western Star reported. The $4.5 million, 50,000-square-foot store is an energy-efficient, state-of-the-art facility with more than a dozen automatic doors, heated floors and an atrium big enough to house a plane.

-- Sarah

Photo of the week

 

Seen at Mahoney's in Massachusetts. Got a festive display to share? Send it our way!

Landscape Ontario introduces consumer campaign

Landscape Ontario introduced a new consumer campaign, “Green for Life,” earlier this month. Outreach will include a consumer Web site launching in spring 2009. The site will highlight award-winning landscape designs to inspire consumers to better use outdoor living spaces. Other elements of the program are promotional signs for trucks, store signs and banners for garden centers and public relations activities.

-- Sarah

Photo of the week

 

The wreath decorating station at Russell's Garden Center, Wayland, Mass.

Got some Yuletide photos to share? Send them our way.