Nursery and garden center moves next to Home Depot
Native Roots Garden Center has moved to a larger shop north of Home Depot, offering more space for its trees, shrubs, gardening tools and seeds.
The gardening retailer reopened at the new location Saturday. The store opened in 2004 at 114 E. Animas Road (County Road 250), next to Bread.
Owner John Wickman said he decided to move Native Roots after his landlord raised his rent and construction on Florida Road crimped business.
“The people on the north side aren't too happy, but we're getting a lot of positive response because the new place is so much bigger," he said.
The new store sits on about 4 acres, he said.
A customer who lives east of Durango, Betty Green, was shopping at the new location Tuesday. She said the location is “great" for her.
The city of Durango is in the process of annexing the property, Wickman said. It is alternatively addressed as 26266 U.S. Highway 160 or 1720 South Camino del Rio.
Tree and shrub manager Chris Glover said the property offers more space to display trees. The business has a tree farm in the Animas Valley.
“We're going to have a lot more space here for trees and shrubs, especially," he said. “Now I'll be able to showcase them here."
Vicki Ochocki, a Native Roots gardener, said the move gives the business more space for everything. “It is a pretty exciting venture," she said.
The move puts Native Roots in direct competition with next-door neighbor Home Depot, which has a large garden section of its own.
“We'll be friendly with them," Glover said. “We'll carry stuff that they don't, and if they carry stuff that we don't, we'll send (customers) that way."
source: http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/Business/2010/05/05/New_roots/