Pike Nurseries to open new store in Charlotte, N.C.

Pike Nurseries, with 15 locations in Georgia and one in North Carolina, had always planned on expanding in the North Carolina market. But Charlotte was hit especially hard in the 2008 recession, and growth there was postponed.

Desiree Heimann, vice president of marketing for Armstrong Garden Centers and Pike Nurseries, says now that the market is rebounding, the time is right to add a new store. A second Pike location is under construction in Charlotte, and the goal is to open the first week of October, Heimann says. Pike Nurseries is building from the ground up on land that has not been previously developed.

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“They were pouring cement this week. The cement has to go in before we can do anything else structurally,” she says. “Clearing the land and getting everything prepped was the hardest part. Once they get the concrete in, it flies from there."

The store will be located in Matthews, a town of Charlotte with about 30,000 residents, and is nearby other retail stores. Pike Nurseries was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2008 by Armstrong Garden Centers. The last time Pike opened a new location was in 2012 in Georgia, and Heimann says it’s “refreshing” to be talking about growth again.

Pike Nurseries has 15 locations in Georgia and one in North Carolina, pictured here. The new store will mark the second location in the Charlotte area. Michelle Simakis

“We are just really excited to expand in the Charlotte market,” she says. The other Charlotte-based store opened in April 2006. “It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, so having the right market conditions and a nice property is exciting for us.”

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The new store will be consistent with other Pike locations in terms of the departments and look, offering birding, trees and shrubs, annuals, perennials, houseplants, patio furniture and decor, and services like residential landscaping design and installation.

"We will have 24 associates at the new Matthews store. We were able to promote internal associates for the management team and department heads. We had a career fair last week and had a great turnout," Heimann says. "We were excited that many applicants were current customers who love our current store in Charlotte."

Although nothing is confirmed, Heimann says Pike Nurseries is actively looking for other locations in Charlotte.

“There is nothing secured at this point, but it’s a market we want to expand in,” she says. “As long as we’re having success and the market conditions are good, we are going to pursue that.”

Main photo: Construction of the new Pike Nurseries store in Matthews, N.C., set to open in early October, courtesy of Pike Nurseries.