FrankOceanXray
Ultimate Member
- Oct 29, 2008
- 12,034
The nursery is going out of business.
Those folks who possess the knowledge should go on.
Behnke nursery is closing
- Thread starter joppaj
- Start date
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The nursery is going out of business.
Those folks who possess the knowledge should go on.
Atrox88
Gold Member
When my wife and I lived in Greenbelt then Laurel she used to go to Behnke's all the time. They always had what she wanted and their service was good. It seems the deciding factor for most folks nowadays is price. We give up expertise, knowledge/experience to save a buck. Behnke's was a retail store. A retail store cannot compete with the big, discount whore chains. Behnke's hope was that their customer service would be a factor in buying from Behnke's. Shame. Fortunately since we moved to Carroll we still have a few businesses that provide good customer service and expertise.
True! Sorry to see them go for the same reason. I could rely on their recommendations and advice on plants.
From what I've read, there was no family member willing to step in at Behnke's and keep it going. This would leave only a third party to buy it and continue with it; someone new taking on a huge mortgage and succeeding in this day and age would be a tall order. This is a real shame. Behnke's was one of the handful of go to places in the area for expertise and quality.
As much as I despise socialists picking winners and losers, an inherent flaw of capitalism is the monopolies drowning out and buying the Mom and Pop quality-driven retailers. How longer can Patuxent Nursery and Homestead Gardens last in this day and age? We can only continue to patronize these remaining nurseries.
FrankOceanXray
Ultimate Member
- Oct 29, 2008
- 12,034
Did Behnke do landscaping services or only nursery? The fact I ask that question gives me reason part of their failure.
I'm surprised someone didn't snatch them up.
Bell Nursery (locally owned) does just fine, out of Burtonsville. https://bellnursery.com/
FrankOceanXray
Ultimate Member
- Oct 29, 2008
- 12,034
How many family owned nurseries can the locale support with a few Home Depots and Lowes in between.
They are the ones supplying the HD's and Lowes. HD/Lowes don't grow their own.
FrankOceanXray
Ultimate Member
- Oct 29, 2008
- 12,034
Behnke supplies HD and Lowes? No.
The market was seized by others. That'd be a nice contract to have... Supplying a big box store.
Or find a niche. Homesteading is very popular idea. Folks want to keep chickens and grow supplemental crops.. maybe a salad garden, salsa garden, green smoothie garden.
Someone mentioned about Homestead Gardens possibly being at risk. I wouldn't consider that true. Their market is in more affluent areas, they have diversified, host classes, have a retail space, expanded to small kid fun farm stuff, holiday events and a robust landscape services division.
The market was seized by others. That'd be a nice contract to have... Supplying a big box store.
Or find a niche. Homesteading is very popular idea. Folks want to keep chickens and grow supplemental crops.. maybe a salad garden, salsa garden, green smoothie garden.
Someone mentioned about Homestead Gardens possibly being at risk. I wouldn't consider that true. Their market is in more affluent areas, they have diversified, host classes, have a retail space, expanded to small kid fun farm stuff, holiday events and a robust landscape services division.
No, Bell does, HD at least. But you did hit the nail on the head about the niche.
FrankOceanXray
Ultimate Member
- Oct 29, 2008
- 12,034
And that is what Behnke did not do.
They did not find a niche. They got beat out. While it woul dbe great for family ops to continue, family business is still business and must remain useful, viable, profitable, willing to meet their market.
They did not find a niche. They got beat out. While it woul dbe great for family ops to continue, family business is still business and must remain useful, viable, profitable, willing to meet their market.
Bell Nursery doesn't do landscaping, they are the sole provider of all potted plants to Home Depot. The landscaping side is done by another company run by and owned by different member of the same family.
BTW, the owner of Bell Nursery is an avid gun owner and shooter (he has his own range at his residence on Kent Island), and a very good friend of the Governor, but he is also an avid "apologist" for why the Governor can't support the 2A in Maryland.
Well aware. One of my friends is good friends with him.
As for being an apologist, I think many Marylander's have become the same. I still say he is 100 times better than Jealous would have ever been. You'd be living in a Communist state right now if that had happened.
- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,178
This is unfortunate
Attachments
- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,178
100 firefighters on scene
They are using 3 channels on the county fire and rescue side of the scanner right now..They also have unites from PG and Howard County. They brought in a couple of Tankers from upper Monkey County for water supply which took them about 20 to 25 minutes to get their.
Damn! First a helicopter crash in Eastern Bay, and now this? Prayers to all involved in the Kent Island area for both of these unfortunate incidents.
- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,178
The passenger was a friend of my oldest daughter and her husband. Young guy with 3 young kids.
