Growing And Giving With The Lakewood Garden Center
The little garage at the corner of Clarence and Detroit has housed various iterations of car related businesses over the years, but with a fresh coat of green paint outside, Lakewood can now claim a garden center of it very own. Owners Paul and Jenna have successfully taken a dingy garage and transformed the interior into an appealing combination of garden themed industrial chic. After spending much of his adult life working at other people’s garden centers, Paul’s expertise is a welcome addition for a city filled with passionate gardeners. During my behind the scenes tour, the husband and wife team voiced their enthusiasm about filling a long empty niche in Lakewood. Their excitement has only grown as these Cleveland Heights residents continue to discover the supportive nature of Lakewood’s small business community, the City of Lakewood, and of course, Lakewood residents.
When asked if they had concerns about having Home Depot and other super-stores near by, Paul was confident, but realistic about being a small business owner. He replied saying, “I don’t really see Home Depot as a threat. I have faith in the products and atmosphere that we are offering. When we chose Lakewood it was because, we saw Lakewood as a vibrant community with the ability to differentiate between these two types of businesses. We feel that our customer base in Lakewood will recognize and appreciate the importance of our high standards both for the products we sell, as well as for the business practices we choose to follow.”
Outside, a once bare parking lot, illustrates Paul’s point perfectly. A lovely selection of healthy, multi-colored blossoms and greenery is strategically placed to make the most of a relatively small area. Whether you are searching for annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vegetables, herbs, or just some gardening advice for the novice green thumb, the Lakewood Garden Center will not disappoint. Other basic gardening necessities are also available, such as mulch, peat moss, pots, small tools, and fertilizers with both conventional and organic options. Many of the vegetable plants are also available as organic varieties.
Even as a fledgling business, the Lakewood Garden Center is already proving itself to be a strong community partner. On their first day open for business, the Garden Center leant a striking variety of potted plants for the Lakewood Earth And Food Community’s Rutabaga Nights fundraiser. In so doing, the Lakewood Garden Center has demonstrated their commitment to doing their part to build upon the vibrant community life that initially attracted them to Lakewood. This trait will undoubtedly help them quickly establish themselves as a positive addition to Lakewood with other like-minded business owners and customers alike.