We have started a new Facebook group, Retail Independent Garden Centers, Vendors, and Media. This group includes not only independent garden center owners and employees but also vendors that sell to Indies, and garden media. Garden media includes the garden blogging world, which is often the driving force these days when it comes to dispensing garden information.
Why start this group now? We had many people who wanted to join our Facebook group, Independent Garden Centers and Nurseries (IGC&N) but didn’t qualify. That group is for IGC&N owners or employees only. That left out many of the wonderful vendors, and growers who work with independents. Most, if not all indie garden centers wouldn’t exist without the help of these folks. We want to include them in the conversation.
Garden media includes trade publications, print publications, as well as garden bloggers. These people are in many cases the biggest fans of independent garden centers, and not having them included in the conversation denies us the opportunity to grow and learn.
Our IGC&N Facebook group will continue, but is only for Indie garden center owners or employees. We will be going through the membership list and asking anyone who does not meet the requirements for that group to migrate to our new group. This is in response to some concerns that vendors or media we’re in the group, and did not meet the criteria to be there. We want the input of these people, but not in that closed group. The new group is closed also. That means you ask to join. You request will be approved, usually within a day or two.
What do we want to accomplish with this new group? Open discussion on the important issues facing independent garden centers, their suppliers, and media. If you’re interested in joining our group head here, and ask to join. The garden center world is changing fast, sometimes it seems too fast. That’s the nature of the world we live in. This group will be a great opportunity to get some real give and take concerning the direction we are headed. If you’re ready to make a difference, go here. We need you.