EDITOR’S REPORT
EDITORIAL
Out with the Old,
Editorial Office (847) 391-1019
Tim Hodson Editorial Director
thodson@sgcmail.com
Paige Worthy Managing Editor
in with the New
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Jasmina Radjevic Associate Editor
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Jason Kenny Designer
jkenny@sgcmail.com
Adam Terese Web Editor
I
t was a pretty good year, don’t you think? Personally, it was a fantastic year: I ran a few 5K races,
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I visited Paris, I started to write a novel. (And at work, despite a snug travel budget, I still had a
ton of opportunities to travel and hang out with many of you!) And in the retail industry, 2009
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wasn’t so bad either, especially if you compare it to 2008 — which was pretty dismal in a lot of
Bob Bellew Vice President, Group Publisher
ways. In spring 2009, garden centers reported modest improvements over the previous year. In the
bbellew@sgcmail.com
fall, many retailers had record-breaking sales. The e-newsletters I receive from garden centers were
Felix Schilling Account Manager
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upbeat, full of fun events for customers and great tips for gardening, and nearly everyone I spoke to
Amanda McAdam Integrated Accounts Manager
on this year’s GCA tours were feeling infi nitely optimistic about their business prospects. People are
amcadam@sgcmail.com
ready to get back out in their gardens, and you’re ready to help them!
Kim Sammartino Integrated Accounts Manager
ksammartino@sgcmail.com
Across the board, actually, it seems the economic outlook is becoming sunnier by the month. Black
Tami Morrell New Business Account Manager
Friday shoppers came to stores in droves to kick off their holiday spending (albeit with smaller budgets
tmorrell@sgcmail.com
and shorter lists): 195 million shoppers, up from 172 million in 2008, visited stores to kick start their
Donna Aly Classified Advertising Manager
daly@sgcmail.com
holiday shopping that weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. And Cyber Monday, a
term coined in 2005 to denote the ceremonial beginning of the online STAFF
holiday shopping season, was a smash hit in 2009. In early December,
Circulation Offi ce (847) 391-1042
the government announced a dip in the unemployment rate. A small
Sandi Stevenson Director of Creative Services
sstevenson@sgcmail.com
dose of good news, but good news all the same. The game has changed,
Mike Serino Director of Circulation
as our columnist Stan Pohmer would say, but I’d say things started to
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look up for a lot of retailers in 2009.
Erica Rivera Advertising Coordinator
Still, at the end of every December, I’m always ready for the fresh
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start that January of the next year will bring. No matter how good things EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
were. Out with the old, in with the new…
Dale Bachman Bachman’s, Inc.
Kathleen Benken H.J. Benken Florist
Out with Feuding
and Greenhouse
Stan Pohmer Pohmer Consulting Group
When all garden centers are scrambling just to stay afl oat in a down
Jack Williams Ecke Ranch
economy, it’s tempting to fi ght one another for those discretionary dol-
lars. Well, stop it! It’s hurting the whole industry when we don’t present
CORPORATE
Karla A. Gillette Chairperson
a united front. It’s not independents vs. big boxes or annuals vs. peren-
Paige Worthy, managing editor
Edward Gillette President, CEO
Phone: (847) 391-1050
nials anymore; it’s all things gardening vs. the rest of the world. You’ve
David Shreiner Vice President, CFO
E-mail:
pworthy@sgcmail.com
probably heard about this proposed national grassroots movement Ann O’Neill Senior Vice President
Blog: lawnandgardenretailer.
where the industry would come together to promote the benefi ts of our
Harry Urban Vice President, Events
wordpress.com products. More will come out in 2010 about this idea…stay tuned.
Diane Vojcanin Vice President,
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Custom Publishing &
lawnandgardenretailer
Creative Services
Out with Old-Fashioned and Fearful
Joel Hughes Vice President, IT
Twitter: @lgrmag
Baby boomers are no longer your only customers, and not every Halbert S. Gillette Chairman Emeritus
shopper is going to have the big backyard that yesterday’s homeowners
(1922-2003)
Lawn & Garden Retailer accepts no responsibility or liability
did. It’s time to change your thinking and widen your scope to a broader base of shoppers and their for the validity of information supplied by contributors,
many gardening needs.
vendors, advertisers or advertising agencies.
In light of these changes, this year, don’t be afraid to make some of your own. Create a new event to
Subscription Information
Lawn & Garden Retailer magazine (ISSN 1540-9023) is published
bring in more families or young shoppers or inexperienced gardeners. Carry a brand new product line, ten times a year in January, February, March, April, May, June,
July, August, September and November by
one no one’s ever seen before, and promote the heck out of it. Call up your local TV station and offer to
Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc.,
do a gardening segment on their morning show. Experiment with a new slogan or fun new uniforms for 3030 W. Salt Creek Ln., Ste. 201
your staff members. Start up a Facebook or Twitter account for your garden center, then post a photo of
Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025
Telephone: (847) 391-1000 Fax: (847) 390-0408.
what’s happening in the greenhouse every day.
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$50 and all other countries are $60 payable in U.S. currency). Periodical
In with the New
postage paid at Arlington Heights, IL 60005 and at additional mailing
offi ces. Reproduction of contents is forbidden. Copyright 2010.
Throughout this recession, we talked about steps you could take to weather the tough economic con-
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Circulation Department,
ditions and come out stronger on the other end. Well, did you take those steps? Even if you didn’t, make Lawn & Garden Retailer, 3030 W. Salt Creek Ln., Ste. 201, Arlington
this the year you start something and see it through! With that, I offer a warm welcome to 2010. I hope
Heights, IL 60005. PRINTED IN USA.
you’ll be very happy and prosperous while you’re here these next 12 months. Oh, and 2009? Hope the
door didn’t hit you on the way out.
6 Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2010
www.lgrmag.com
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