Cha-ching! (3-16)

When the owners of McKay’s Hardware in Holly, Mich., decided to open a pop-up garden center last spring, they planned on using supplies on hand to set up the green-goods area. With a little tinkering, cinder blocks and snow fence were turned into benches. It was an arrangement that owner Ken McKay admitted was decidedly “rustic.”

Just before the spring rush began in earnest, a chance encounter changed McKay’s entire garden center venture. The plants on display caught the eye of Jerry Bennett from a neighboring business—SPC Retail, the makers of Benchmaster merchandising systems. The folks at SPC Retail saw a case study in the making, and offered McKay’s a makeover.

“Our original ‘rustic’ system was practical, inexpensive and would’ve sold plants,” said Ken. “But I’m sure the presentation that came across after the makeover was definitely much better. Do I think it helped us sell more plants? Sure!”

That's "sure," as in "Cha-ching!" >>> For a detailed look at the "Before/After" that took place at McKay's, be sure to check out the April issue of Garden Center magazine.

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