Member Profile:
Andrew Gibby, Manager
Nature Nursery & Market, Burley, ID
Nature Nursery & Market’s Success
Attributed To Constant Learning, Customer
Satisfaction Mindset
Never falling stagnant, the minds behind Nature Nursery &
Market in Burley, ID, are constantly learning and finding
ways to establish a welcoming atmosphere and memorable
experience for customers so that the retail garden center
becomes more than just a place to shop.
“Our mission is to create a wonderful experience,” Andrew
Gibby, Manager, says. “We’re not just about selling product –
we want our customers to have a memorable experience
when they’re here so they want to come back again and
again. We try really hard to create that atmosphere of
serenity, and we’ve had customers come in just to relax and
walk around. They love it here.”
Nature Nursery & Market’s selection of high-quality trees,
shrubs, perennials, flower bedding plants, and home and
garden decor add to customers’ shopping experience and
the overall atmosphere of the store.
“We’re known for our selection of plants,” he says. “It’s not
what your grandma had in her garden, but we still carry
some of those staples. Customers love our tropicals, because
no other nursery in the area will carry them.”
In addition to selling a one-of-a-kind mix of plants, the
garden retailer offers small-scale landscaping services, such
as lawn maintenance, installing flower beds and setting up
retaining walls. And Andrew already has his eyes set on
expanding these services – and more – in the near future.
“We have some great big things planned – expanding our
selection, I can tell you that,” he says. “We currently have one
of the greatest varieties of plants in our area that actually
succeed in our climate, and we’ll continue growing that.
We’re working hard at expanding into the landscape
industry, and we plan on becoming a full-service landscape
operation.”
Just a couple years ago, Nature Nursery & Market opened a
homemade custard and Italian ice stand, Ma’s Custard and
Italian Ice, near the parking lot that serves cold treats during
the summer. When customers are done shopping or just
want to relax surrounded by beautiful plants, they can have a
seat under the gazebo by the custard stand.
The retailer has launched a new marketing campaign that
partners with local contractors and realtors to give a free
consultation and store coupon to homeowners who have
just moved to the area. They also purchase an e-mail list of
new local homeowners so they can send these incentives
and get them familiar with the garden center.
With all these elements geared toward providing an
exceptional in-store experience, it’s easy to see the main goal
of Nature Nursery & Market is all about customer happiness.
“We really strive for customer satisfaction,” Andrew says. “We
bend over backwards to make sure our customers are happy,
even if it means cutting into our profits just a little bit. On
landscaping jobs, we walk the landscape with the customer
after we’re done to make sure they’re happy with it. They get
that personal interaction.”
Andrew points to his staff and their specialized training that
emphasizes awareness and treating the “guests” as very
important people to Nature Nursery & Market’s success.
“I think that’s what really makes us such a great place to
shop, because we have such a great staff,” Andrew says. “We,
as staff, love coming to work, and if we love coming to work,
then the customers can feel the difference.”
Always watching for trends in consumer gardening interests,
Andrew has modified and adapted their product mix to
reflect these changes.
“We’re constantly learning – we really aim for progression
and not getting stagnant,” he says. “We’re always looking for
what’s new and exciting. We checked out the demographic
of our area, and the average age is 32 years old. We try to
cater to all ages of shoppers and find ways to connect with
everyone.”
Due to consumers’ renewed interest in houseplants, the
retailer expanded its selection of interior plants. They also
added bulk seed, versus individual seed packets, so
customers can choose the right amount they need for their
gardens. “We interact with them and make them feel very
proud of their gardens,” Andrew says.
Not only is Nature Nursery & Market the community’s go-to
destination for gardening supplies, it’s the local hub for
family-friendly events. The annual Purple Shovel Market is
not like any other craft fair or farmers market – vendors drive
all the way from Sandy, UT, and surrounding towns to
showcase their handmade creations. The fun, locally focused
atmosphere supports jewelry makers, painters, antique
dealers and other craftspeople.
The Southern Idaho Living Expo, conducted in conjunction
with the local chamber of commerce, invites all types of local
businesses to the garden center every spring, exposing new
people to the store’s offerings. Seasonal events, such as
Lunch with the Witches and Crepes with the Clauses, are
always big hits.
Attending garden center buying shows, such as the IGC
Show, and other industry gatherings helps Andrew stay on
trend with the latest plant varieties and product innovations.
“We love going to the industry trade shows, and if we see a
garden center when we’re out driving, we’ll stop and do our
own tour.”
Beyond attending industry events, Andrew looks to his
membership in the GCA association to network and learn
from other independent garden centers on what’s working
and what’s not.
“Being a member of Garden Centers of America has added
to our goal of always learning,” he says. “It has helped us
improve greatly and get ideas that benefit us and our
customers, helping us create the ecosystem that is our
nursery.”
Working outdoors and being in the lawn and garden
industry was always something that Andrew knew he
wanted to do. Growing up, he volunteered to do all the yard
work, spending his Saturdays gardening and working in the
yard – when most children used their free time to play video
games or surf social networks.
When his family’s corporation, Gibby Group, was searching
for a property to build their new office, they stumbled upon
the nursery that would eventually become Nature Nursery &
Market.
“I was talking with my dad, who is the president and owner
of the company, about what we should do with the nursery,”
Andrew says. “We were walking through the building, and
he says, ‘This is too nice of a facility to tear down.’ And I told
him I would run it.”
Years later, the independent garden center is thriving,
mostly credited to the retailer’s philosophy of focusing on
customer satisfaction and constantly learning to improve
the business.
He says, “In the Gibby Group, we have a philosophy of
surrounding ourselves with people who are smarter than
ourselves, because they’ll do a lot better job than we will and
they’ll help our business grow.”
GCA MEMBER PROFILE