Farm Feature: Black Forest Garden Centre
As you know, we endeavour each month to feature a member farm and ask them some questions that allow you, the public, to get to know your local business owners more. Today we get a deep, touching look into our wonderful members at the Black Forest Garden Centre.
What were the key challenges and opportunities that were faced when starting your garden centre business?
Some of they key challenges for us at the beginning was the location. 35 plus years ago, Keele Street was a gravel road and was known for washboards going uphill and numerous potholes that the township was always battling, they did the best they could. My dad would always joke and say "I wish the Queen of England would come for a visit, that way they'd have to pave Keele street!!
In 1987, very few people drove out to the country. We were in the middle of nowhere. People are creatures of habit, they tended to drive south towards Toronto, or East to the 404. The folks from King City took King Road to get to the 400. Because we were so isolated, advertising was a huge issue and the cost was staggering. Because our location was right on the borderline to three areas, (Newmarket/Aurora/King City), we had to advertise in the Richmond Hill Book and the Newmarket book, and ended up costing a fortune. We took out ads in the local paper, printed and mailed flyers, joined two business groups, took out booths at home shows, voluntarily decorated the entrance to the Antique shows they used to have in King at the arena, just to get our name out there. My father saw the potential of having the garden centre so set back in the country. We had the potential to become, and we have, to be a destination garden centre. The grounds are impeccably maintained, gardens span from the front of the road right up to the store. We were also different from other garden centres because we were able to differentiate ourselves with the different products we sold. We began to grow different crops of flowers that nobody else had, and word quickly spread quality and customer service was something we really focused on. Father taught us the gift of the gab, and to listen and communicate with our clientele. We still have clients that have shopped at our store since day one, and now their kids come with their young families.
I'd say for the most part, the biggest challenge was getting the customers to actually discover us. Our now clients from Aurora, all had something we called the Bathurst Street Syndrome. Way back in the 80s, the majority of the population would drive to Bathurst, then straight south towards the city; it was almost as if they'd fall off the end of the road if they crossed it (Bathurst). We even went so far as to put a sign on the corner of Bathurst and Wellington to draw customers. All went well until we learned about something called sign bylaws! LOL Of course as in all other businesses cash flow was also a challenge, but when a family pulls together all their resources, works really hard as one unit, things worked out. Starting out small was the secret of success, as was customer service. If you provide a great product at a fair price at excellent quality, word gets round.
How has Black Forest Garden Center adapted to the changing needs and preferences of Ontario gardeners over the years?
The fact that we are a small business mostly still with only family members and a strong handful of key staff members, allows us to pivot, and make changes when we have to. For example, when Covid hit and we had the lockdowns, George was able to create an incredible web page, and create an online store complete with pictures and then formulate a pickup schedule. It was a really wild ride, but we made it out okay. Small businesses are more able to adapt quicker. We also had terrific staff that year that made everything seem easy, and everyone worked hard. We've noticed a great change in the customers we sell to.
When we first started Black Forest, homes were built on much larger lots, and established homes had more gardens and room for trees and shrubs. Today houses have much much smaller yards, so the need to carry a variety of trees and shrubs didn't work for us anymore. Instead, we concentrated more on perennials, and annuals, and our famous Black Forest Hanging Baskets. People will drive from other provinces to have them. We have built a reputation of being in the colour industry. Plants and flowers make people happy, and we do this for them. Over the years we also discovered that some clients want to have something different that not even their neighbours had, and thus began our Custom Pots and Planters orders. Customers now come in with their planters for us to create stunning living arrangement that will last all season. We also now make special orders for several businesses and high end car dealerships. We've even been commissioned to plant up a restaurant patio up in the Blue Mountains area as well as a few restaurants in North Toronto. We are very very fortunate to have the clientele we have and to live where we do.
What are some of the most memorable milestones or anecdotes from your history, and how have these shaped your business's identity?
There are several. The very first one I'll never forget was opening day.
We advertised the grand opening and had no idea what was coming. A big car pulled into the driveway and 4 ladies in flower print dresses and hats came out asking where the coffee and cake was; they thought Black Forest was a coffee house!!
The other really pertinent milestone was in about our 5th year of business. We displayed at the Aurora Home show, and back then, Aurora had a community TV channel called Aurora Cable 10. Angie Dawson was one of the local reporters and did a small feature with my brother George. The following year, we met again, and Angie asked if she could come to the garden centre and do some simple Q and A's directly on site. It was a hit, and within a few weeks, George and I had a little weekly program called Garden Shorts. From silly gardening advice to live demonstrations and live call-ins, we became number 2 on Aurora cable television. This bit of fame and notoriety propelled us past the "Bathurst street Syndrome", and people finally knew where we were. This really propelled us to where we are today.
It was really interesting to hear people talk amongst themselves and say what a pleasure it is to shop out in the country away from all the hustle and bustle and traffic. You can literally hear the birds sing in the spring the moment you come out of your car, where else does this happen? Exceptional quality and customer service has shaped us to where we are today. And a sense of humour. We like to laugh, and give out free hugs as do our customers. Laughter brings everyone together.
We also wanted to get some practical gardening advice for this feature. Below are some wonderful, quick little tidbits for you...
What are the best plants for beginners?
For outside in the shade, I'd say Hosta. Almost indestructible unless you overwater it or give it too much sun. For a sunny spot, I'd say Chicks and Hens or Sedum. Neither require very much water, just lots of sun.
What are some unique or unusual plants that can be grown in Ontario?
We had some hardy Fig trees for sale last season and sold out quickly. Paw Paw trees are also coming to market. You can even grow hardy kiwi vines, albeit it takes several years for them to produce fruit.
How can someone create a pollinator-friendly garden? And is it possible to do so in an apartment/condo?
The best plants to use are actually native wild flowers such as black eyed susans, goldenrod, swamp milkweed, asters, purple cone flowers, foam flower, wild strawberry and many many more. As for balcony planting, you could plant a variety into a window box and try your hand. There are also lots and lots of links on-line under container gardening.
Thank you so much, Karl & John and everyone at the Black Forest Garden Centre. We appreciate you so much 💐🌹🌷🪻🌻🪻🌷🌹💐
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