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A lack of retail experience and an absence of any extensive plant knowledge didn香蕉视频直播檛 stop Robin Knox from buying a popular Duncan garden centre more than a decade ago.

香蕉视频直播淚 was a stay-at-home mom and my son was getting ready to graduate and go off to school, and I thought, 香蕉视频直播榳hat the heck am I going to do?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� Robin explains.

香蕉视频直播淚 was always very involved in school fundraising projects and everything I did seemed to make money and did well, so when a friend said, 香蕉视频直播榳hy don香蕉视频直播檛 you buy this business?香蕉视频直播� I thought it was a great idea. And here I am 13 years later!香蕉视频直播� laughs Robin.

She took over the Old Farm Garden Centre in 2006 and she香蕉视频直播檚 been growing the business ever since.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e known for our pots 香蕉视频直播� people come from all around to look at our pots 香蕉视频直播� but once they get inside, they see we have all this other beautiful stuff for the garden,香蕉视频直播� the 70-year-old says. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been told by the different reps that we have the largest selection on Vancouver Island, so we even get people from Vancouver coming back year after year.香蕉视频直播�

But the Calgary transplant admits the learning curve has been a big one 香蕉视频直播� both for running a store and becoming a gardening expert.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I bought the business I thought about pots and all the beautiful accessories for the garden, but I never thought about the plants,香蕉视频直播� she explains. 香蕉视频直播淎ll of a sudden the plants started coming in and I thought, 香蕉视频直播榦h geez, I don香蕉视频直播檛 know about this one,香蕉视频直播� so I started taking things home to plant so I would learn about them. Over the years, it香蕉视频直播檚 been a huge learning curve.香蕉视频直播�

Robin does all the buying for the store and likes to hand-pick a lot of the items. She tries to buy as much as she can from Vancouver Island and local artisans.

香蕉视频直播淥ne really popular item we carry that carries us through the winter months is Anvil Island,香蕉视频直播� Robin says. 香蕉视频直播淭he First Nations pieces are designed by Noel Brown, a Coast Salish carver whose work is on display at the Smithsonian. Anvil Island makes them so we香蕉视频直播檙e very fortunate to carry that line.香蕉视频直播�

Diversifying the product line and attracting customers in on-peak months has helped the Old Farm Garden Centre mitigate its biggest challenge 香蕉视频直播� the seasonal nature of the business.

香蕉视频直播淭he seasonal factor is definitely the biggest challenge and weather also plays a big part in sales,香蕉视频直播� Robin explains. 香蕉视频直播淭his year, with the snow, we didn香蕉视频直播檛 even open until February 18.香蕉视频直播�

The other big challenge is big-box competition and an overabundance of pop-up garden centres with cheap prices.

香蕉视频直播淧eople are constantly looking for deals and it香蕉视频直播檚 pretty hard to compete with the Costcos of the world, so we have to be very service-oriented because you don香蕉视频直播檛 get that at big-box stores,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淵ou can香蕉视频直播檛 ask information about plants and what works in shade and what香蕉视频直播檚 deer-proof and all those kinds of things. We tell people to bring in pictures of their garden and we can teach them what they need to know and help them choose plants and pottery.香蕉视频直播�

Since lots of people have moved to the island from other provinces 香蕉视频直播� as she did 22 years ago 香蕉视频直播� Robin says, they香蕉视频直播檙e not used to such a long growing season or how quickly things grow here.

香蕉视频直播淢y yard is pretty throughout the year, whereas in Calgary, everything dies back and goes brown,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淭he first year we moved here, we gingerly trimmed back the rose bushes and then, whoosh, everything just goes crazy. So I香蕉视频直播檝e learned to be more aggressive.香蕉视频直播�

She香蕉视频直播檚 also learned to be more aggressive when it comes to getting rid of old stock. Robin says her biggest mistake was buying too much when she first started, and her biggest business lesson has been to clear out what香蕉视频直播檚 not selling.

香蕉视频直播淚f it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 move, put it on sale and get it out of there because it香蕉视频直播檚 taking up space,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e a little boutique garden centre and I can香蕉视频直播檛 afford to have stuff sitting there if it香蕉视频直播檚 not selling, so I香蕉视频直播檝e learned to try and get your money back, sell it off, and put some new merchandise there.香蕉视频直播�

That business lesson also translates into the garden. Robin香蕉视频直播檚 best gardening advice?

香蕉视频直播淒on香蕉视频直播檛 be afraid to move things,香蕉视频直播� she advises. 香蕉视频直播淚f they香蕉视频直播檙e not working in one place, dig them up and move them somewhere else.香蕉视频直播�

Now that she香蕉视频直播檚 70, Robin is looking to sell the blossoming business so she has more time to travel and visit friends.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檇 like to retire this year and I香蕉视频直播檓 hoping somebody who would like to buy it will come along. But I香蕉视频直播檇 still like to be involved,香蕉视频直播� she says.

She香蕉视频直播檚 also quick to point out that while some plant knowledge would be advantageous, a potential buyer wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 need to have it going in, given how knowledgeable her veteran staff, Lindy and Mel, are.

香蕉视频直播淚n the early years I was afraid to work alone,香蕉视频直播� she quips. 香蕉视频直播淭hey taught me so much and are a huge part of our success. It香蕉视频直播檚 such a wonderful environment to be in because you香蕉视频直播檙e surrounded by beautiful things. It香蕉视频直播檚 not like people are here to buy socks and underwear. They香蕉视频直播檙e here to buy pretty things to make their homes nicer.香蕉视频直播�

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