"It is better to sell to many small landscapers"

Tucked in the countryside just north of the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, you will find Brohl’s Greenhouse, Inc. Brohl’s Greenhouse, Inc. was started in 1966 by Jack Brohl as a small greenhouse that sold vegetables and some flowering plants to the community of Macomb. As the business grew, his sons started to take on some of the responsibilities.

Jack's sons Mike, Jim, Marv and Brian Schwark, have taken over most of the growing and business duties. Brohl’s Greenhouse, Inc. has grown to 2.5 acres of covered greenhouse growing space that still produces bedding plants, mums, poinsettias and vegetables.

Most of their plant material is sold wholesale to mostly landscapers as well as independent garden centers, schools and churches. When asked why they focus on selling to landscapers, Jim had a simple answer: it is better to sell to many small landscapers, than to a few larger growers. If one landscaper cannot pay his/her bill, then it is easier to absorb this loss as they do not buy as much plant material as a large grower. Landscapers come in looking for a large amount of a few items, whereas large growers not only want a large number of certain plants, but they also want a small number of many other types of plants. This makes it more time consuming to pull orders and there is limited space to grow all these crops.

Read more at PRO-MIX (Lance Lawson)