Burlington, VT, Nov. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gardener’s Supply Company, the Burlington, VT-based purveyor of great garden gear, is acquiring a fourth garden center, this time in Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley Garden Center has been supplying gardeners and landscapers with quality products and unparalleled customer service in western Massachusetts for 56 years. Retiring owners Tom and Janine Giles said “We were fortunate to learn from and be inspired by Hadley Garden Center’s founder, Ed Machno, and his wife Fran, and eventually purchase the business from them in 1988. For the past 31 years, our team has solved gardening challenges, made friends, worked with amazing people, and enjoyed the support of the local community. We’re excited to transition the business to a great company like Gardener’s Supply.”
In addition to a robust catalog and e-commerce business, Gardener’s Supply Company already has three garden centers located in Burlington and Williston, VT, and in Lebanon, NH. CEO Jim Feinson says the company was extremely selective in its choice of a fourth garden center, and that Hadley was at the top of the list. “We’re proud and grateful to have the opportunity to help Tom and Janine with business succession. They’re just fantastic folks to work with and really smart, really caring business owners. The Hadley Garden Center has a terrific reputation and we look forward to building on their legacy.”
“We like Gardener’s Supply’s culture of giving back,” says Tom Giles, who is particularly pleased that Gardener’s Supply is 100% employee-owned and community-minded. In addition to encouraging employee volunteerism, the company donates 8 percent of all profits to causes that improve the world through gardening.
Tom and Janine agreed they wanted Hadley Garden Center to continue as a locally owned garden center and selling to an employee-owned company created an opportunity to make that happen. “We were familiar with Gardener’s Supply Company’s solid reputation in the industry, and we felt this was a natural fit for both our team and our community. Gardener’s Supply’s giving culture, reputation for quality products, and sustainable business practices were right in line with ours. Our goal was to have the garden center continue here for the employees who helped build it and the people who have depended on it.”
The official closing is planned for early January 2020. Tom and Janine will aid with the transition through the spring season. Pat Pearsall, Retail General Manager for Gardener’s Supply, says the company isn’t planning any sweeping changes. “We’re going to figure out what works best for the Hadley store. Each of our garden centers is as unique as the community in which it operates. Tom and Janine have built a very successful, well-respected business. We’ll learn from what they’ve done and bring some of our unique strengths to the garden center, such as online purchasing, innovative and exclusive gardening products, and an employee-owned culture. Different communities ask for different things, and so we’ll listen to the customers and adapt to what they want.”
Hadley Garden Center employees, who are deeply valued and have over 200 years of combined gardening knowledge and expertise, will become employee-owners of Gardener’s Supply Company. Additional staff will be hired in late spring to ensure customers continue to get the personal attention that has been the secret to Hadley Garden Center’s success. “Really, what we tried to do was fill the needs and requests of our customers, overcome their challenges and help them to become better gardeners,” says Tom. These are the same goals that have been at the core of Gardener’s Supply Company’s mission since 1983.
Contact: Meredith White meredithw@gardeners.com 802-660-2364
About Gardener's Supply Company
Founded in 1983, Gardener’s Supply Company is a 100% employee-owned company of avid gardeners providing garden-tested, earth-friendly products combined with practical information. Headquartered in Burlington, Vermont, the company has won many awards for its innovative gardening products, online gardening content and progressive management style. Gardener's Supply is also a Certified B Corporation and donates 8-percent of its profits to charity. www.gardeners.com