Cedar Lake Gardens & Gifts juggles demands of landscape/retail to create one-stop garden destination

The term “full-service garden center” is frequently batted about in our industry. Jeff Walker, founder of Cedar Lake Gardens & Gifts in Decatur, Ill., is determined to give this catchphrase real meaning. Jeff, a landscaper with 30 years of experience, is establishing a solid retail presence while continuing to build upon a thriving design, installation and maintenance business.

In many ways, landscaping is the easier gig, Walker admits. About 65 percent of his business comes from service, helped along by several contracts with local institutions. But both the landscape and retail divisions carry equal weight in his estimation. It’s all about creating the comprehensive package that today’s consumers demand.

“I don’t want to become a landscaper with a garden center,” Jeff said. “We try to specialize in every field. What is it they say? Jack-of-all-trades and master of none? I want to be the master of all of them.”

Jeff feels that today’s time-pressed homeowners need both “stuff” and “service.” Landscape crews cater to this desire and give his business an edge over the big boxes.

Statuary and fountains provide a great example. This is a thriving category at Cedar Lake because the store provides quick and efficient installation. But, Jeff adds, these products wouldn’t be nearly as big if he didn’t have the retail venue to show off his wares.

“These days you hear: I work, my wife works; we want you to come in and do it,” Jeff said. “The garden center backs us up in that. It gives the landscapers validity and goes great hand in hand.”

A memorable site

Maintaining this balance is a challenge, but Jeff’s never been known to back down from a difficult situation. That’s pretty evident given the garden center’s history.

Jeff had his pick of places to open his store in 2003, but he chose the former site of a public swimming pool and recreation area. Several years ago, two boys died there after being electrocuted. The pool closed, and the area stood vacant for many months -- a silent testament to a terrible tragedy.

Walker and his family took a close look at the 4.3-acre property and chose to rehabilitate the site. The pool was filled in, and the area was transformed into an upscale garden center, complete with a display garden and gift shop.

“The first couple of years after we opened we had people telling us, ‘You took something that had a lot of bad memories and you’ve almost built a monument to those two boys,’”

These days, Jeff continues to invest in store improvements. The plant yard took on a new look this spring with the addition of cedar benching and a 70-by-40-foot Poly-Tex shade canopy. An automatic drip irrigation system was installed to eliminate some hand-watering.

To bump up the landscape business, hardscape, paver and retaining wall displays were installed along with a new line of aluminum fencing the company is offering. The addition of a backyard putting green provided additional inspiration for customers.

Expanding markets

Cedar Lake will reach another milestone this month with the grand opening of its second location about 16 miles west of Champaign, Ill. The new store is about 25 miles away from the original Decatur store.

Jeff chose the location because Champaign and several surrounding communities were not being effectively served by existing green businesses. There were actually no listings for garden centers or landscape companies in the area Yellow Pages.

Jeff plans to offer competitive retail plant prices at the new site, comparable to what customers find in larger towns like Decatur. Customers will also have access to Cedar Lake’s full complement of landscape services.

The new location is about half the size of the original site. The Cedar Lake crew built the garden center from the ground up last winter.

“It’s been kind of stressful, but in other ways it’s been more fun,” Jeff said. “You’ve got a blank slate to work with and you can learn from your mistakes.”

A 48-by-52-foot building and 36-by-26-foot greenhouse will accommodate retail sales and provide space for landscape consultations. The plant yard was designed to be easily accessible to crews picking up material for installation.

Seasonal adjustments

The spring rush should be doubly crazy this year, but Jeff is already thinking ahead to next winter. He’s working on a new strategy to keep employees occupied over the holidays.

“This year I don’t think we’re going to be open for Christmas anymore,” Jeff said. “I tend to lose quite a bit of money. We stayed open to keep people working. Next winter we’ll keep people working growing and babysitting plants.”

Jeff is making plans to install a production greenhouse on his own property. He has already hired a woman experienced in growing annuals and perennials. Jeff said they’ll start off experimenting with perennials, and possibly branch out to other areas later on.

Keeping it all in the family

Cedar Lake’s founder Jeff Walker quips that about half of the company’s 30 employees are family members and the other half are extended family.

His brother, Mike Walker, is general manager of the Decatur territory with nephew Josh Walker overseeing the landscape maintenance crew. Jeff’s daughter, Ashley Piraino, manages the Decatur garden center and the company’s gift basket operation. Longtime employee Deanna Creamer, who’s like a member of the family, is the manager over outdoor goods.

Jeff’s son, Nick Walker, will be in charge of the landscaping crew at the new location outside of Champaign, Ill. His wife, Tamara, will manage the garden center there.

Jeff said it’s important that each employee is held accountable --whether they have blood ties or not. All managers are required to spell out weekly, monthly and yearly goals and attend strategy meetings.

“It can’t be willy-nilly,” Jeff said. “You have to lay parameters down. I tell everyone, each person has a responsibility to you and you have a responsibility to them.”

Promotion strategies

Cedar Lake Gardens & Gifts employs several promotional strategies. Commercials on the local NBC affiliate station help kick off the spring season.

“I feel the best bang for the buck is TV where you can see and hear the message,” Jeff said.

The company also sponsors the station’s Weekly Snapshot contest. Each week, a viewer-submitted photo is featured on the affiliate’s Web site. An image of the grand prize -- a custom gift basket from Cedar Lake -- is shown on the same page.

Yellow Pages ads are still proving to be useful, particularly for the company’s landscape division. Cedar Lake also pulls out all the stops to create an elaborate display for the local home and garden show each year.

“I’m prejudiced, but I think we have the best booth there,” Jeff said. “We’ve raised the bar at our home show. It costs about $4,000 in wages, materials, etc. But if you land two to three good landscaping jobs, it makes it all worth it.”

Cedar Lake Gardens & Gifts, Home of Walker Landscapes

Location: Two locations -- the original 4.3-acre site in Decatur, Ill., and a new location opening this month near Champaign, Ill.

Employees: 30 (retail and landscape combined).

History: The original store opened in 2003. Founder Jeff Walker started the landscape business more than 30 years ago.

Sales volume: Approximately $2.6 million in 2007.

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For more: Cedar Lake Gardens & Gifts, (217) 875-3331; www.cedarlakegardens.com.

- Sarah Martinez

March 2008