A Whole Foods nation Here’s something I’ve been wondering about lately: When will a garden center version of Whole Foods come along to redefine the garden industry? Whole Foods started off as a funky little grocery co-op in Austin, Texas. Its raison d’etre was organic food. But what has made it a national phenomenon is the way it elevated groceries into an upscale venue. Oh, there had been other upscale grocery stores. And there had been other organic grocery stores, just like there are both categories in garden retail today. But somehow Whole Foods transformed customer expectations. Competitors like Wegman’s in the Northeast and Central Market in Texas benefit happily from a more sophisticated public. Can that happen in the garden industry? What do you think? The first night at the ANLA Management Clinic in Louisville, Ky., a group of us went to dinner at a restaurant called Proof on Main (check it out -- and the men’s bathroom -- next year!). We got into an animated discussion on this topic. Quite a few people said there was no way a Whole Foods-type garden center could come in and change the industry. But I’m not convinced. What barriers are there to that happening, really? The fact that our industry is primarily independent isn’t a problem for a nationally or regionally minded garden center chain. Central Market, a part of the big Texas grocery store chain HEB, is independent. It’s still owned by the Howard E. Butts family. And a store that has personality and great service isn’t automatically exclusive to independent retailers. Think Nordstrom. Think Whole Foods. Here’s a real experience Let me use Central Market as an example, since it is in my neighborhood. I went to Central Market the day before Thanksgiving. My goal was to buy wine and the ingredients of butternut squash soup, my contributions to the big meal. The full lot forced me to park far from the doors, not a promising start. When I walked into the vegetable department looking for the first ingredients, an employee approached me immediately. When I told him about the squash, he walked me to that area and advised me on how to pick out a flavorful one, then left me to help another shopper. When I reached the wine department, again an employee offered to help. Upon my request, he selected wines for me quickly and confidently. This happened with any department I paused in. The place was packed, but the staff excelled. And checkout only took five minutes! Guess how many times I’ve told that story to friends. The day before Thanksgiving in a grocery store is a garden center’s day before Mother’s Day. Customers don’t really expect great service on those days. They expect crowded aisles, salespeople too busy to help and long waits at checkout. But this store was so on top of things; I probably had the best grocery shopping experience of my life. And this store is a chain. Are you ready? So ask yourself this: Can you be the next Whole Foods? And if you aren’t, are you a store that would benefit from higher customer expectations if a Whole Foods-type garden center transformed America? I think it’s only a matter of time before a new type of garden center sweeps the country. If you aren’t ready, you should start thinking about where you fall short. Oh, and did I mention? Central Market’s parent company has opened a few garden centers. Send this article to a friend Enter your e-mail address: Enter your friend's e-mail address: Click the image below to send: © 2007 Branch-Smith Publishing