Same as other retailing the usual situation is a core group of key employees doing office functions etc. and the rest are often seasonal clerks and car loaders who aren't being used by management as anymore than bodies - when it gets busy during the peak spring season there can be a lot of bouncing around from one station to another, in response to customer requirements. Hence "monkeys". They all have a pyramid structure, same as other stores, with most of the people "on the floor" not being the best informed and best paid part of the staff - any operations that are doing otherwise are the exception rather than the rule. In his book on the subject called Profitable Garden Center Management (which I must have loaned out and never gotten back, as I haven't seen it in years) Louis Berninger (sp) described an actual garden center that had had an expert employee called Otto who was available to customers and able to answer their gardening questions, said every garden center should have their own "Otto" to meet this need. Note that he was talking about a single employee providing this function - of course in combination with other duties - and felt it necessary to point out the desirability of having somebody interacting with shoppers who really did know something. I know people who have been awarded the CPH - I can talk circles around them about plants and gardening. What it boils down to is that in actual general practice the advertized cadres of multiple expert staff persons always on hand to answer your every question is a lie. Both at big box plant departments and at large independents. Hence the numerous posts over the years complaining about getting a bum steer from somebody at a "nursery" - whether they were actually talking about an actual stand alone garden center or a big box plant department. In retailing in general the irony is that at the same time that diversity and complexity of modern inventories is driving an increasing demand for service retailers are moving in the direction of more limited service. This post was edited by bboy on Fri, Mar 21, 14 at 15:33

Brocks! We're heading down there and to Dearborn Farms tomorrow. To be honest, I shop all over. We bought 12 boxed roses at Dearborn Farms last spring, but I got some really nice potted roses in Lowe's (Woodbridge, Jersey City, and Old Bridge) and Wal-Mart (Secaucus, Cinnamonson, and Old Bridge) -- all of them did really well, and have leafed out like crazy this spring. Like you, I've been buying Superthrive at Wal-mart (it's not out yet, and I don't have all that much left right now -- and not every store had it, either) as well as fish emulsion. We got some great annuals there to fill in the gaps in the plants we bought in Van Wingerden's and Gro-Rite up in Lincoln Park. I get potting soil for my containers and garden soil to beef up the beds in Lowe's, and I get mulch there, too. I get pots and little plastic garden fencing in Wal-Mart. Home Depot was disappointing last year, especially since we'd gotten some wonderful roses there in the past (in Clifton and Woodbridge). But Clifton's garden center has gone -way- downhill, and Woodbridge isn't what is used to be. But none of them compare to Hoverman's, now sadly closed.

Depends on what you want to spend? Ben more has a great Regal line that’s thicker, than anything I’ve worked with, however the Behr paint comes very close. Ben Moore Regal is roughly $52.00 a gallon w discount. Behr is $36.00 a gallon With no pro discount. sherwin Williams has great paint but for example the super paint line won’t cover in one coat, I used a color called Wheat Bread , which didn’t cover as well as the behr did with one Coat. the paint matched perfectly from two different manufacturer, which I was surprised especially because it was a semi-gloss. i typically use what the customers want, I’m not a paint snob but for what it’s worth I won’t use organic paint as it takes to many coats to get a solid color. I believe paint n primer is more of a gimmick as primer provides better Adhesion and no flashing, when patching. I like the peel stop primer as it’s super thick. My Choice is Ben Moore Regal or high end Behr, however I’ll paint with whatever you like. Foster and Ball has nice simple colors for What it’s worth. you pay more for name vs what’s in the can for the ”Polo” or interior designer paints.

if there is no change besides ripping out soffit and new electrical, I would visit your local hardware store with a good bulletin board. A lot of handymen are actually previous employees of bigger builders/etc...for various reasons they go off on their own. Interview by phone or email. Tell them what you want done. The electrical part will probably require separate group to come in. I would probably use Barkers or Conestoga or similar-online source of design and detail work for ready to assemble cabinets......they ship to you. Putting together is the job of handyman guy with good carpentry experience-it's not rocket science. If you are in a smaller area, I wouldn't like the Lowes/Home depot crowd to be in charge..... I notice in a larger geographic area, some of their stores have really good experienced designers. In a small area, that range of experience might be limited. Too little time and too much risk to mess around. Of course, you should offer more info on this website about your PLAN-the process follows plan. Your plan might be different once you look hard at all your choices and budget and get feedback.