I currently have a shop here at my house that is 12 miles from the town that I service snow removal. When it’s snowing I can’t just run home for more salt or take a break. Blaire and I have talked about building a new shop in town and have been looking at properties. But the downside is commercial property that is in a good location is hard to come by.
Something hit our radar and we are discussing its potential. It’s an old nursery that was very successful until the owners retired a year ago and shut it down. It’s 2 acres of land right on a major highway in town. It has a small office building that has a bathroom, shower, kitchen, office and living room. It’s just a small house that’s been converted to do business but it’s very fitting. It would be perfect for an office and a nice hangout for me and the guys in winter when it’s snowing.
What I like is the location, office, land size, and history of a successful business. Plenty of room to build a huge shop.
The question is this… Blaire loves gardening and flowers. I told her it would be fun to dabble in floral sales using the current greenhouse. But also sell mulch and fertilizer. Has anyone ever owned or has family that owns a nursery? Is it profitable or a huge pain? Other than keeping the property up I can’t see it being very stressful. It’s no secret that I may be loosing my job due to budget cuts at the college within a year. I would like to start laying the groundwork soon if it seems profitable. Obviously would not be selling potted plants this spring! The property would basically pay for itself each year with what I would save in running loose salt alone and I could even sell salt. So added income from the property is just a bonus and gives Blaire something to do.
I am also a big sucker for family fun and the nearest pumpkin farm is an hour drive. I would love to have a pumpkin patch! Something fun in the community for families in the fall.
Am I crazy? Worst case the nursery is a flop and I use the property for my shop in a sweet location!
Depends on the price. Nursery’s can be very profitable. That it’s already zoned is a huge plus assuming you can run all your businesses under it’s classification.
I don’t know anything about running a nursery but there is a guy in my area who bought land back in the 90’s to farm vegetables and decided to take a chance with a pumpkin patch. He now runs a major operation throughout the entire fall. He starts with the pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayride, and haunted house then moves into selling Christmas trees and pics with Santa to close out the year. Every weekend his place is packed. He hires us at the sheriffs office to do security for him on the weekends.
A neighbor sells gravel, topsoil, decorative stone, mulch etc at a former fence company property & makes out well, the pumpkin patch is a great idea. I wish you luck !
I would imagine it would be a tremendous amount of work and time. I would see if the guy who used to own it would like to work for you part time. He could help you get started. He’s probably getting bored now any way.
Man @SchertzServicesLLC that would be awesome…Id love to find a small piece of land nearby me to fence in and put a small building on and a lay down yard for trucks and equipment…my wife would love it to…lol…shes sick of seeing trucks and water tanks and trailers…
My mom used to work in the office at two nursery’s in south Florida. Both of those places were top suppliers to box stores. Obviously, being that you’re up north, it would have to be cold hardy plants. I would think that the biggest obstacle would be knowing the proper insecticide/herbicide needs for whatever plants you decide to grow and potentially sell. Also, having grown up in the south, the biggest issue is going to be the cold and ensuring that the plants are safe during the freezes.
They are asking 99,000 but I bet I could get it for 75. The market is way down in my area because of the school troubles. It’s zoned for everything I do.
If its a florist type thing as a hobby or very small scale i dont see how you can mess it up. Now the mulch, gravel, sand, topsoil, etc… there arent huge margins in it on a small scale unless you can get into the delivery realm of it, dump in driveways and drive off. You already have the trucks and loaders… whats another dump trailer or two???
I dont think it would criple you if you try it out.
Don’t know much about nursery’s, I’m North of you in Wisconsin and I hear selling and delivering mulch from some landscaping friends makes a killing in spring and summer.
I work with a guy that sells mulch and firewood on the side. He does pretty well! I will sell and deliver mulch. But no one in my area sells loose rock salt. It’s all by the 50lb bag. I’ve spent soooo much on salt this year and could have saved 60% buying loose.
