 Dear :
It sure sounds like the vast majority of The Group Clients have had SUPER sales the last few weeks. We are still hearing reports of new records, both single days and weeks.
The Weekly Department Review Report was released on Friday for Week 21 and you can see in the Green Box... what a week it was for most. In fact, four regions reported +40% increases for the week. Three were +30% up, and another three regions are +15 to +25% up. And as of Week 21, 9 of 13 regions are now reporting increases for the year!
Looking at percent of sales by product category, green goods represented over 70% this week and ... annuals was half of that figure. WOW!
Similar to what we heard several weeks back at the start of spring... it continues to be a struggle to keep plants in stock. Our original forecast was... a long cold winter + lots of dead plants and spring fever = strong spring sales.
Make it a GREAT Week!
Danny
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Quote for the Week: "People will sit up and take notice of you if you will sit up and take notice of what makes them sit up and take notice." Harry Gordon Selfridge
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Creating Small Business Community
by Sid Raisch |
 Someday you may need your friends to stand up for you. That can happen only if you stand up for them today.
It is no secret to you that doing business as a small businessman is super-tough these days. That is not limited to the garden and landscape business. It includes every independent business that still endures. These people are your local peers. No matter how successful they appear to be, business is just as tough for them as it is for you. Just ask them.
We all share a common misunderstanding. We don't realize the importance of our local economy. The impact of local business vs. chain stores is so dramatically different that we should easily commit to never do business in a chain store again. But we don't. We've been conditioned as a society to want things that we know are not best for us to our own detriment. We've been conditioned to live and let live and to let others fend for themselves. We think that we've done fine with that thinking in the past but then forget to deduct the impact of the national debt, student debt, trade imbalance, high unemployment, lower real estate values, underwater mortgages that have not been walked away from, and - okay I'll stop there. Get the picture? We've got to take responsibility and help ourselves out of this mess.
The bottom line is that only 13.6% of money spent at chain retailers remains in your community while 48% of every dollar spent with a local owned retailer is recirculated there, and not siphoned off to Arkansas and other chain store headquarters. (see chart below).
That is very clear and simple math. The difference is that the money you and your fellow citizens spend with local businesses remains in your own community and provides almost four times the benefit compared to spending with chains.
No, I am not talking about a Buy Local community campaign asking people to support businesses that may not be good enough to deserve the business. I'm talking about walking your talk. The results of this do not come quickly or easily, but it all begins with you and the simple next steps you take. Follow the lead of this great example from Group Client - Chris Kennedy at Kennedy's Country Gardens in Scituate, MA. Chris has been giving a mention to locally owned businesses in his community in his email news. Last week this Shout-Out went to a nearby bakery.
 | | (Click on image to read the full article) |
This is a nice thing to do to show your fellow businesspeople that you care enough to give them some credit, plus it rather incidentally brings up how nice the shop looks with plants and flowers from Kennedy's making it look so sharp.
Use your influence to encourage your customers to do business with other specific local owned retailers in your community and to understand the much greater impact of investing their dollars where they really do them the most good.
This is a very simple thing to do and Chris gave us an encouraging example of it. So go ahead and try it. Give a SHOUT OUT to another local business in your customer communications this week. And don't be surprised if some of them may get the idea and return your favor now, or someday when you need them the most.
Your friend,
Sid
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Got comments or questions?
Call or Email Sid:
Ph: (937) 302-0423
Email: CLICK HERE
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The Fall Event 2014 Full Program
... coming to your mailbox this week!
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As mentioned last week, we were expecting the printed Fall Event Brochures any day. Well, they're here, and they have been mailed to all Group Clients. So, watch for them middle to late part of this week. But, if you haven't received your copy, you can see the program's PDF version. Just follow the link below.
REMEMBER: This year's Fall Event's theme is PEOPLE. Sessions are covering Owners, Staff, and Customers. And while just one of these sessions alone may be worth the time and cost to attend... there's another important reason to attend... to be with, interact with, and learn from ...
Fellow Group Retailers!
This is your once-a-year opportunity to learn from each other. Don't miss it!
 The Fall Event Brochure is in the mail! Watch for your copy! To Download The Fall Event Brochure PDF - CLICK HERE |
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A Mother's Day FLASH MOB...
Romence Gardens, Grand Rapids, MI
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Group Client, Romence Gardens' Mary Romence passed along a great video this past week on efforts to create extra excitement during their Mother's Day weekend... a FLASH MOB experience! Here's a few comments from Mary and a link to see their video:
[Mary Romence] Ok - so we tried making a You Tube on Mother's Day Saturday.
Sunny Day; Fantastic Flowers; Surprising Sound - everything seemed perfect. Should have all worked for a great Flash Mob - but.... cameraman was delayed. Surprise was lost. Our detailed plans fell apart. We salvaged some footage and put this together for fun.
 | | (Click on Image to view on YouTube) |
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We will be visiting Romence Gardens during the tour day at The Fall Event!
Got comments or questions...
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Who's Touching Your Plants?
... news from Bailey Nurseries
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Group Partner for Success and Preferred Vendor, Bailey Nurseries, is in the news this week with a new addition to their work force for producing your plants. As Agricultural Labor continues to tighten, technology is coming to woody production. Here's some details...
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 | | (Click image to view video story) |
Bailey Nurseries in Newport, MN is using robots to help separate potted plants. The robots are made by a Massachusetts company called Harvest Automation. The company approached Bailey and a handful of other large national nurseries five years ago to ask if there was any interest in automating some jobs.
John Fisk, the director of operations at Bailey, says the robots are used to space potted plants, which is giving them extra room to grow. The job is time consuming and requires little to no skill and Fisk says that's a good job for a robot.
"We can take manpower and use it for a job that's more interesting more beneficial for the employee and the company, and these robots can do things like this."
The robots cost $30,000 each. Fisk says Bailey will evaluate the robots and could expand the fleet in the coming years.
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Got questions about the "Bailey Bots"... ask your Bailey Nurseries sales person!
Thank you Bailey Nurseries for your support of The Garden Center Group!
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... news from Wallitsch Garden Center
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Group Client, Wallitsch Garden Center's Jim and Mary Wallitsch are in the news this week announcing an event this coming Wednesday... here's details:
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Wallitsch Garden Center, Louisville, KY, is holding a Beer, Brats and Bluegrass celebration featuring HGTV's gardening expert Jamie Durie and the music of Southern Sirens.
The event is Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There will be samples of locally brewed beers, and Durie will discuss edible gardening. Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door. For more information call (502) 454-3553 or go to www.wallitsch.net
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Got comments or questions for Jim or Mary?
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The Group's "Retailers' Choice Awards" Schedule
You're Invited! |
Mark your calendar...
Sunday - Monday, July 13-14, 2014
Columbus, OH
Join Sid Raisch and Danny Summers and other Garden Center Retailers to nominate and select the best retail products at Cultivate '14.
More details coming soon about schedules and SPECIAL MEMBERS DISCOUNT offer to participating Group Retailers... See you in Columbus, OH!
Wednesday - Thursday, July 23-24, 2014 Atlanta, GA Join Sid Raisch and Danny Summers and other Garden Center Retailers to nominate and select the best retail products at SNA 2014. More details coming soon about schedules, FREE TRADE SHOW REGISTRATION to participating Group Retailers... See you in Atlanta, GA! Thursday - Friday, August 21-22, 2014 Portland, OR  Join Sid Raisch and Danny Summers and other Garden Center Retailers to nominate and select the best retail products at Farwest 2014. More details coming soon about schedules and FREE TRADE SHOW REGISTRATION to participating Group Retailers... See you in Portland, OR!
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Special Group Invitations
Join Robert & Wendy on IGC Tours |
Monday, August 4, 2014
National Harbour, MD
Join Robert & Wendy Hendrickson and fellow garden center professionals for an inside look at these highly successful Washington, DC-area independent garden centers and three public treasures, the U.S. National Arboretum, the U.S. Botanic Garden, and the U.S. Capitol Grounds, that promote gardening and green spaces. The IGC Tour is conducted in conjunction with Garden Centers of America and The Garden Center Group.
The IGC East Show Dates are: August 5-7 See you in National Harbour, MD! 
Monday, August 18, 2014 Chicago, IL Join Robert & Wendy Hendrickson and fellow garden center professionals and energize your business with fresh retail strategies from independent garden centers counted among the best in the area, including Group Retailers John & Sue Heaton, Knupper Nursery & Landscape. The IGC Tour is conducted in conjunction with Garden Centers of America and The Garden Center Group. The IGC Chicago Show Dates are: August 19-21 See you in Chicago, IL!
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A special thank you to the IGC Shows for their support of The Garden Center Group!
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PARTNERS FOR SUCCESS - Preferred Vendors
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Horticultural Craftsmen
Since 1926
Monrovia
Distinctively Better Plants!
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Prides Corner Farms
Our goal is to be your best business partner, a partner that helps you grow, helps you sell and helps you to be more profitable.
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Proven Winners
is proud to support the members of The Garden Center Group. We are here to help your business grow with great new plants and programs to increase your sales.
Retailers Resources
Plant Search
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Upcoming Group Events
Join The Group for the following meetings/activities.
Sept. 22-25, 2014
The Fall Event
Amway Grand Hotel
Grand Rapids, MI
Just when you thought it couldn't be better than Asheville, Grand Rapids promises to be! Details coming in the following months. Mark your calendar now.
Full Program Online
Watch for printed brochure
in the mail.
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Upcoming Group Activities:
July 13-14, 2014
Retailers' Choice Awards at Cultivate'14
Columbus, OH
Sign Up details coming soon!
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July 23, 2014
Retailers' Choice Awards at SNA 2014
Atlanta, GA
Sign Up details coming soon!
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August 4, 2014
IGC East Tour
National Harbour, MD
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August 18, 2014
IGC Chicago Tour
Chicago, IL
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August 21-22, 2014
Retailers' Choice Awards at Farwest 2014
Portland, OR
Sign Up details coming soon!
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September 22-25, 2014
The Fall Event 2014
Grand Rapids, MI
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
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Helping garden centers develop the business side of their business!
Save the Date... September 22-25, 2014
The Fall Event - Grand Rapids, MI
Group Office: Danny Summers - Direct:
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GROUPtalk is a service of The Garden Center Group and is intended strictly for current Group Client owners, staff members, Group Vendors/Sponsors, and Group Service Providers and Group Staff. As a subscriber to The Garden Center Group e-publications, you are included in this distribution. We will be happy to adjust your subscriptions upon request. Individual content providers are responsible for the accuracy of the information presented. Thank you for your participation in The Garden Center Group!
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Copyright � 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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