How are we doing?

As I walked around various independent garden centers this spring and summer both on tours and unofficial visits, I was pleased to see a steady stream of customers with full carts perusing the stores. I saw young moms with their children, older couples, younger couples, and everything in between. However, this spring was a sharp contrast to last spring in many parts of the country. It started later than last year (or “at its normal time” as one Cleveland-area manager told us), and temperatures were lower than usual for many, with long stretches of heavy rain plaguing some. In spite of the conditions they faced at the beginning of the season, the garden centers I visited seemed to be doing well.

Our State of the Industry Report research confirmed my suspicions — the industry as a whole is on the upswing. 53% of respondents reported increased overall sales this year, with annuals leading the pack as the most popular category. Not surprisingly, more than half of respondents still felt that weather is the strongest contributing factor in the success of the business, but it seems like some garden centers are figuring out how to keep customers coming in in spite of the conditions outside. To read the whole report and see the complete stats, check out the State of the Industry Report in the insert starting on page 23.

Continuing with our State of the Industry coverage, Leslie Halleck dishes out some tough love and examines some of the industry’s greatest challenges on page 40, and economist Bill Conerly shares his predictions for the 2014 economy on page 46. We had the chance to sit down with two of the industry’s leading men, Michael Geary and Mark Foertmeyer, and hear their opinions on what the future looks like for garden centers (pages 50 & 52).

How did your season go? Was it better, the same or worse than last year? As always, you can drop me a line at kvarga@gie.net or call me at 216-446-2717.

I’d also like to take the opportunity to let you know about our search for the Top 50 independent garden centers in the U.S. and Canada. To be considered for our list, we invite you to fill out the form located at www.GardenCenterMagazine.com/Top50.aspx.

I wish you all continued success in the fall and Christmas season!

kvarga@gie.net