Investing in the future

When I was younger, especially during my college years, I frequented many ballroom dance events. I thrived on the beautiful music and the waltzes that made me feel like I was back in times of royalty for a few brief moments. However, I was not the typical attendee at these events; I was by far the youngest almost every time. Luckily for me, I was welcomed into the crowd with open arms, despite my age. Because I was made to feel welcome, I feel that I could go back again at any time, even though it’s been quite a few years. Likewise, does your garden center strive to make all ages and demographics welcome?

We’ve chosen to focus our issue on a few innovative ways to get the message across to all of the market, including a couple of ideas on how to attract the younger generations and non-traditional garden center customers, as well as round out your garden center’s offerings. Members of Generation X and Y may not become your star customers this year, but you can bet that when they begin gardening in earnest, you will be the first place they think of shopping a few months, or a few years down the line.

In our cover story, we look at everything related to berries, and why we think they could be a great addition to your store. We talked to many people in the berry industry, from breeders to garden centers who stock the plants, who tell us that berries are here to stay and offer suggestions to help you succeed.

On page 28, garden center consultant Ian Baldwin shares his thoughts on 2012 and how to be more innovative in the new year, and we look at how hosting a photo shoot or event in your store could be the key to drawing in non-traditional customers on page 34. Don’t miss the inexpensive, creative display ideas on page 36, or the tips for improving containers sales and displays on pages 62 and 66.

As we bid adieu to 2012, I hope that you are as excited for the New Year as I am. We have the opportunity to continue to improve in 2013 with fresh ideas and renewed energy. I’d love to hear how your year went, and what we can do for you to help your business thrive next year. On behalf of all of us here at Garden Center magazine, I wish you the very best this holiday season, and a great start to the upcoming year.

kvarga@gie.net