Long Island Reno: Hicks Nurseries starts with research

This is the first in a three-part series on Hicks Nurseries' 2023 makeover, designed to embrace the future and renovate with relevance in mind.

When Garden Center profiled Top 100 IGC Hicks Nurseries in 2023, sixth-generation President Stephen Hicks told us a dramatic remodel was set to begin.

Well-planned and executed, the makeover of the Long Island IGC was accomplished in slightly more than two months, with the store open for business the entire time.

One year after the renovation wrapped, we checked in again for renovation insights and frontline advice.

Fresh eyes, fresh ideas

The first step in Hicks' renovation process was in-depth consumer research. While the team had numerous ideas on how design changes could better serve their customers, Stephen Hicks says having fresh eyes from outside the company was valuable.

"We didn't want to be just bound by what we knew or we think we knew about our customers. We wanted some data and some objective analysis to make sure that if we were going to make changes, it was based on what our customers actually think and not what we think we know," he says.

To conduct the research, Hicks turned to leading retail research consultancy Envirosell. Based in New York City, the firm was founded in 1989 by Paco Underhill, author of "Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping." Hicks, who had read the book and appreciated the firm's proximity, researched Envirosell’s unique processes.

"What really appealed to me was the idea of looking at it not as a design question, but as one of research as to the customer's mindset, experience and so forth, which they kind of really specialize in," Hicks explains.

But Hicks emphasizes that IGCs can approach other research firms the same way.

"The concept that was important was — whether it be surveys, interviews, observations — getting some feedback that was coming from the customer, as opposed to us sitting down and saying, 'Well, here's what the customer thinks,'" he says.

© Photo courtesy of Hicks Nurseries

In-store, customer-centric research

The Envirosell kickoff meeting was in early March 2020 — two weeks before COVID put everything on hold for a year and a half.

But once underway, Envirosell's multi-step research process involved in-store observations of customers, customer interviews (complete with old-fashioned clipboards) and video cameras observing customer-product interactions — all of which customers were happy to participate in.

Hicks requested the research take place over the course of several of the IGC's busiest days, so they could understand the customer experience during peak times, not just in the off-season.

At one point, the firm recruited about a dozen customers to wear special glasses as they shopped the store. The glasses tracked not only what was viewed, but where their eyes focused — for a true sense of the effectiveness of signage and other elements.

Upon completion, the firm distilled the information down and presented key findings to the IGC team.

Research takeaways

Hicks says the research results didn’t include any "earth-shattering" insights, but they did provide color and emphasis on experience.

For example, the research indicated that sightlines between areas of the IGC were restricted, hiding new areas to be explored. It also revealed that 70% to 75% of customer interaction with staff was around directional questions.

"That was interesting," Hick says. "The idea being that if we could improve our directional signage and navigation and we could minimize those questions, that might have a significant payoff in terms of freeing up staff time for other activities, or more in-depth interactions with customers."

Hicks Director of Marketing Eleni Roselli adds, "Engaging directly with our customers about their shopping experiences was invaluable. We gained a deeper understanding of their needs and preferences and used this feedback as the foundation of the store renovation."

Hicks stresses hiring a research firm isn’t a necessity — you could do your own internal observations instead.

"My takeaway was the idea of really looking at the shopping experience through the eyes of the customer, without any sort of preconceived notions," he says. "We felt that was the best way to answer those questions."

Part 2 of this series, coming Nov. 7, will dive into the design process of Hicks Nurseries' redesign.

Read part 2 of the series: Long Island Reno: The Hicks Nurseries design process

Read part 3 of the series: Long Island Reno: Implementing the redesign at Hicks Nurseries

Jolene Hansen is an award-winning freelance writer who has covered the commercial horticulture and garden center industries for more than a decade. Reach her at jolene@jolenehansen.com.