Gardener's Supply Co. details new location

Expanding its brand just in time for spring, Gardener's Supply Co. is establishing a third location outside of its home territory of Burlington, Vt. The new store in Lebanon, N.H., is the former location of Longacres Nursery Center, which was purchased and renovated by Gardener's Supply Co. and reopened for business Feb. 1.

Pat Pearsall, retail division manager with Gardener's Supply Co., says the new retail building measures around 10,000 square feet, with a 4,800-square-foot of greenhouse and tropical selling area.

"It contains a large a hardscape department annual growing operation, a traditional garden center with tropical house, and includes a bulk mulch and soil department," he says.

For the new location's first spring season, Gardner's Supply Co. plans to have 13 year-round team members and 20-25 seasonal hires on-hand. Pearsall says staffing later in the year will depend on whether revenue projections and budgets hit their targets.

Also read: In it together - How Gardener’s Supply Company inspires its staff to step up to an ownership role through its employee stock ownership plan.

A grand opening event is being planned for April, with many details still being determined.

"The grand re-opening will take place on Earth day weekend and coincide with our annual spring open house celebration at our other two garden centers," Pearsall says. "We traditionally offer a deep discount on spring annuals and bedding plants to kick off the season along with other discounts, educational events and the like. In Lebanon, we are moving forward with plans to partner with other local businesses to host joint events, including a pre-grand opening mixer with giveaways. These plans are not finalized yet, but generally speaking, we look to engage the local community, host local influencers, deliver value and give the community a chance to see what we are about."

Although tackling a new market is always a challenge, The Gardener's Supply Co. team sees the new store as an opportunity to expand its offering of services and expertise, Pearsall says.

"We’ve already received a ton of positive feedback from our customers, particularly those who know our brand and have shopped with us online or in our Vermont garden centers," he says. "Change can be difficult - the Longacres brand has been in the Upper Valley for 40 years. We look to build on their success while delivering a new and compelling experience for our customers. Prior to this acquisition, we did not have a growing or hardscapes operation, which gives us the opportunity to broaden our understanding of those departments and potentially leverage them in our existing garden centers as well as future acquisitions."

Also read: A tour of Vermont’s independent garden centers - Attendees of the 2017 Garden Center Group Fall Event toured several prominent retailers near Burlington, Vt.

Pearsall adds that a goal of the Longacres acquisition and remodel is to bring a customer-oriented shopping experience and environmentally-conscious and sustainable practices to the Lebanon market.

"Longacres approached broad inventory selection as the best method of delivering on the customer’s needs. Longacres was known for this and consistently delivered on the promise. The focus was on hardscapes and core gardening, chemicals, fertilizers and tools with few gifts and a few lifestyle components to the offer," Pearsall says. "GSC is committed to delivering an exceptional customer experience. We believe we can deliver this through a compelling curated offer, the right products at a fair price, a-best-in-class guarantee on both hard goods and live goods, experiential superiority at our facility and best-in-class service."

Also read: Strong suits in Vermont - Spotted! | Notable products and ideas from garden centers + more

Photo by Oliver Parini