Patch Fox Point-Bayside, WI --When Caryl O’Driscoll drives from Hartland to Bayside to babysit her grandchildren, she always makes it a priority to visit the Bayside Garden Center.
The garden center started all the way back in the 1950’s by Bayside residents Esther and Wally Kolowith, explained 25-year-employee and horticulturist consultant, Lisa Neske. Neske said the Kolowiths lived on the property and built a greenhouse out of which sprang their gardening business. Eventually, the Kolowitch’s very home became the main building for the garden center, and when they retired, their son Steve took over the business.
While the store has been a staple within Bayside and the North Shore community, Neske said there a few interesting features that draw people from all over the metro area to the mom-and-pop store.
“We grow a lot of our own stock,” said Neske, as evidenced by a dozen or so greenhouses in the back of the main store. “Like at Christmas time, we grow our own poinsettias.”
Elements such as Neske’s deep knowledge in horticulture are things customers also take notice of when coming to Bayside Garden Center.
“I feel like I can talk to people and they understand about the flowers that we’re talking about,” said Douglas Udell of Milwaukee, who was doing some spring shopping with his wife, Jill. “They can say, oh go look over there, oh go do that. You get more service, personalized service.”
Though it’s a very local and community-based store, Bayside Garden Center still dips into more corporate endeavors when the opportunity arises. Customers participated in beanbag toss near the store’s entrance, facilitated by representatives from Dr. Earth. Dr. Earth, a company right outside of Sacramento, California, was giving customers a chance to win a discount on their organic soil.
And whether it’s stopping into the store when in town, or coming in on a more frequent basis, Neske said the store is able to cater to a variety of different customers.
“Some people are just buying a plant to take to a hospital and that,” said Neske, while she says others stop in for more extensive gardening projects.
“We didn’t bring our trailer this time,” said Jill Udell. “So this is just what we could fit in with the groceries,” she said with a few pansies in the couple’s cart.
However, a few minutes later, the Udells piled their cart with variety of different plants, including some hanging ones. They looked like kids in a candy store, satisfying their gardening sweet tooth. Reported by Patch 16 hours ago.