A nice touch

There are more similarities between a garden center and a café than you might see at first glance. For one, the product has a finite shelf life, so it either needs to go out the door or go in the trash after a while. Second, staffing is always a struggle (of course). And third, it’s all about the experience. Whether it’s dining or shopping, people frequent cafés and IGCs for the experience more than the product itself. And patrons become loyal because of how the store or restaurant made them feel

Having worked in various aspects of the restaurant business throughout high school and college, I have a ton of respect for the people who do it. It’s a tough job and at the end of the day, there’s no way you’re going to make every customer happy. Customer service (of any kind) is certainly not for the faint of heart.

In this month’s cover story, you’ll hear from three independent garden centers about the trials and triumphs of running a café. For some, it’s a lifelong dream come true. For others, it’s a unique way to attract new customers and repeat visits. But for all, it took a lot of time, effort, planning and vision to take off.

Whether you’re thinking of adding a coffee shop, pastry display, beer cooler or full-blown restaurant to your garden center, refreshments of some kind could be a good move. Not only will it keep customers from being uncomfortable (or leaving the garden center prematurely), it adds a nice touch to show you care about them as guests in your store.

Even something small can enhance the retail experience like offering a few water dispensers with lemon or cucumber. When I think about the hotels I’ve stayed at over the years, the ones that offer complimentary refreshments in the water always seemed higher-end. It’s an easy way to elevate the shopping experience.

You can read even more about the customer experience in this month’s column from longtime consultant Judy Sharpton, where she discusses ways to make your customers comfortable in your space. I’m pleased to welcome Judy as a guest columnist this month, and we’re going to continue to highlight various voices from around the industry as columnists for the next few months. If you or someone you know would be interested in contributing their thoughts or experiences in the garden center world, please reach out to me at kspirgen@gie.net.