Looks like Target is getting out of the garden center business by late September 2010. According to Grower Talks, Target "is closing it's remaining garden centers in Florida, California, Arizona and Nevada." According to spokesperson Jana O'Leary the reason they are closing is "...that the garden centers don't provide significant value to our guests. Also, it's no longer a profitable business for us." In addition, as the two pictures taken at the Folsom Target near here attest, their plant knowledge was lacking. Labeling Scotch Broom as Azalea's does not help. Why we're they selling an invasive plant through their stores?
When a chain like Target get's out of the business the suppliers who hitched their wagon to the chain will suffer. Altman Plants, headquartered in southern California supplies up to 85% of the plants that Target sold. Ken Altman say's, "You know, you never want to take a hit like this..." He say's they are now focusing on "finding other ways to use his production capacity, to save as many jobs as possible for his employees."
Who's next? Walmart? I had heard rumblings that they were considering getting out of the business for the same reasons sited by the Target spokesperson, not profitable. Lowe's and Home Depot? How long can they bleed their suppliers on cost and returns? How long can the suppliers keep picking up unsold merchandise and replacing it with new stock? If I was a major supplier to these chains I would start thinking about what to do when they finally decide that running a nursery just does not "provide significant value to"... the "guests".