Read Garden Center's January 2016 issue online

You can now read full January 2016 issue of Garden Center magazine here.

In this month's cover story, we explore the history of Bachman's, a garden center in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area that has been run by the Bachman family for more than 130 years. Bachman's balances a rich family background with a forward-thinking approach to long-term success.

January's theme is long-term planning. To that end, we look at an expert-approved method for establishing a five-year marketing plan, we discuss the factors that impact a decision to improve equipment and facilities, we explain what makes an effective retail website and why it's important to update it often, and we talk with various companies about their miniature plants that can help boost fairy and miniature gardening profits.

We also talked with Karen Bachman Thull, director of marketing and corporate communications for Bachman's, about the company's "Ideas House." You can listen to the conversation on the Retailer Radio Network here.

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Photo by Becca Dilley