IGC Show announces destinations for store tour

IGC Show officials announced the full roster of host destinations for the IGC Show Store Tour, ready to roll with retail inspirations on Monday, Aug. 12, the day before the trade show opens. During the daylong educational journey, independent garden center retailers from across the country will gather to network and get actionable ideas to implement at their stores, from new merchandising displays and signage to trendy product categories.

Monday’s IGC Show Store Tour of retail discovery will spotlight:

Farmers Market Garden Center, Chicago, Illinois

Family-owned Farmers Market Garden Center gives customers everything they need to celebrate the beauty of nature in their Chicago city lifestyles. From container creations to floral designs for weddings and special events, Farmers Market is ready to help. IGC tour-goers will find an extensive range of native plants and organic garden products for sustainable-minded shoppers, as well as a unique assortment of annuals, perennials, bulbs, seeds, vegetables, trees and shrubs. Farmers Market helps customers complete their urban oasis with a curated selection of outdoor furniture, accent pieces and seasonal items. Be sure to ask the staff how they assist customers in selecting the best plants, soils, potting mixes, fertilizers and gardening tools for their particular project and space. The retailer extends its reach in the community with services that include rooftop garden installation and custom-container delivery. Find out how creativity in floral design earned Farmers Market a Wedding Wire 2019 Couple’s Choice Award.

Pasquesi Home and Gardens, Lake Bluff, Illinois

Founded in 1975 by Ed and Marie Pasquesi, Pasquesi Home and Gardens has evolved from a single-location hardware store into a full-service garden center business. Now led by three second-generation Pasquesi siblings, the IGC seamlessly blends plant departments with a diverse variety of offerings, including gifts, garden decor, patio furniture, grills, home accessories, fashion and pet. IGC tour-goers will see firsthand how the strategic merchandising and signage here unify the departments and create an overall aesthetic for the store. Pasquesi Home and Gardens is known for its broad selection of high-quality plants and products that turn customers’ homes and gardens into stylish sanctuaries. Safe, organic, and pet- and kid-friendly soils, amendments and fertilizers help keep their lawns and gardens thriving. Garden center retailers will take back the actionable ideas they need to jumpstart a pet department at their store from this visit - the store’s dedicated pet area showcases food, treats, bedding, toys and supplies for dogs, cats, birds and small animals.

Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois 

Chicago Botanic Garden is a 385-acre horticultural destination with 27 gardens and four nature areas. IGC tour-goers will get inspired with ideas for their stores’ outdoor displays and their customers’ homes in the Landscape Garden, Rose Garden, Sensory Garden, Water Garden, Japanese Garden, Nature Play Garden and more. Three greenhouses showcase fragrant flowering plants, rare varieties, edibles, utilitarian plants, seasonal selections and houseplants from around the world. Wet tropical rain forests and hot desert sands are two environments that have produced some of the most unusual plants on earth, and many can be viewed here. The Bernice E. Lavin Plant Evaluation Garden is the site for the Chicago Botanic Garden's Plant Evaluation Program, where scientists study plants to determine which are best suited for Midwestern gardens and those in similar climates. As part of the program, perennials, shrubs and vines are trialed side by side for four to six years. See what varieties are being studied right now in person.

Chalet, Wilmette, Illinois

IGC tour-goers will have the opportunity to see the signature Chalet Farms brand logo at work on trees, shrubs, perennials and vegetables, showcasing the expertly grown, climate-acclimated plants produced on the retailer’s 183-acre property. A contemporary selection of houseplants, garden tools, indoor and outdoor home decor, garden structures, and pet wellness and enrichment products round out the product mix here. Chalet is the exclusive retailer in all of Chicago of Walpole Outdoors pergolas, planters, fences and more. Ask about Chalet’s beehives, which produce 100-percent-pure wildflower honey at its farm.

Jayson Home, Chicago, Illinois

The retailer’s ever-evolving product selection features modern and one-of-a-kind vintage furniture, tableware, lighting, candles, books, pillows, textiles and more at its store, situated the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. During the gardening season, Jayson Home fills its brick courtyard with greenery, with a specialty in outdoor plants and containers. Year-round, customers can shop from eclectic garden accents, exotic orchids, sun-loving jades and other indoor plants. If shoppers require more garden design assistance, Jayson Home offers a container planting service - and an additional delivery option - from March to October. Find out how the retailer meets the demand for more “green” indoors by showcasing cross-merchandised vignettes that blend furnishings and houseplants.