Strength through divisions

Esbenshade’s wholesale-grower division specializes in its own customers’ favorites, while also serving nearby retailers.Esbenshade’s Garden Centers in Lititz, Pa., was started in 1960 when Lamar and Nancy Esbenshade decided to merge his knack for business with her love of plants. Now, 50 years later, the couple’s four sons are adding other “complementary” traits to take the company to new heights.

Fred, Roger, Scott and Terry make up the new management team, which uses diversification to build on the momentum established by their parents. Esbenshade’s has a retail division with three locations and a wholesale-grower division. In the past 15 years, they opened two satellite stores.

The Mohnton, Pa., site was not a planned expansion, according to Terry Esbenshade, but was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up when they discovered the location was on the auction block. The company’s Fleetwood, Pa. store was planned, however, and allowed Esbenshade’s to reach customers in the central and northern Reading, Pa. area.

“They mirror the main store and offer the same basic selections of product with a tighter selection in areas such as silk flowers, garden gifts and gardening products,” Terry said. “There is simply not enough space to offer everything we do at the Lititz store, but we do offer the same quality and service.”

Sharing the load.
The four brothers have specific responsibilities within the organization. 

Roger oversees the wholesale growing process, which includes a 16-acre wholesale facility. Scott manages the shipping and equipment purchase/maintenance departments. He is also the systems manager, which includes taking care of the heating, soil mixing systems, the automated transplanter, buildings and systems fabrication. Terry is the retail general manager for their Mohnton and Lititz locations. Fred works in the office, assists in crop planting, sales and information systems.

Esbenshade’s Garden Centers sell traditional annuals such as impatiens, geraniums, poinsettias and petunias. Other major items in its merchandise mix include bulbs, vegetable seeds, houseplants, herbs, potted plants, trees, water-garden supplies, outdoor living supplies, landscaping services, lawn and garden supplies, gifts and wildlife products.

As a form of positive public relations, Esbenshade’s values and mission statements are based on the Christian work ethic and altruism.

“We run our business according to Christian values,” Terry said. “One of significance is giving. We give a generous amount to ministries and non-profit organizations, locally and abroad. We also serve our local churches, business, and non-profit organizations in various ways.”

Competition concerns
Terry Esbenshade said tight competition among locally owned garden centers and greenhouses has been a major concern lately.

“The local farmers are moving from roadside single greenhouses to large, modern gutter-connect greenhouses, which allows them [the local farmers] to be more competitive and offer a larger variety of plants,” he said. “These greenhouses compete directly with the existing players in the market. They have picked up a niche share of the local market here in Lancaster County. We’re no longer the only player in the market. Unlike many garden centers that compete with Lowe’s and Home Depot, we compete with small growers. There are dozens in Lancaster County alone.”

Esbenshade’s Garden Centers deal with this new competition through branding. “It’s providing better value to our customers. We call it the Esbenshade’s Advantage,” said Terry.

It’s a big plus, especially now, Terry said. Esbenshade’s has seen a change in customer spending habits due to the economic recession. “The economy has shifted customer spending into smaller ticket items,” Terry said. “They’re still buying, just not spending as much as before.”

A member of the North American Agricultural Journalist association, Wendy Komancheck writes about agriculture and the green industry from her home near Ephrata, Pa. You can contact her via e-mail at wendykomancheck@gmail.com.