Landscape Garden Centers plans for new location

Oct. 9, 2019

After more than 40 years on South Minnesota Avenue, Landscape Garden Centers plans to move a little farther south and west.

Owner Erik Helland has secured an 11-acre site a mile south and a little more than a mile west of the current location.

It will allow him to slightly evolve his business, he said.

“Our ultimate focus is green goods – things that are alive – and, of course, the landscaping and the operations and all the other services we continue to provide,” said Helland, whose father, Phil, started the business in 1977.

“For us to move out of a site that’s taking in 20,000 cars (per day) past it, it’s better suited for someone else rather than a business of our type.”

He plans to put that property on the market with Reggie Kuipers of Bender Commercial Real Estate Services and anticipates a future development plan will include demolishing the current Landscape structures.

With the opportunity to start from scratch on bare land at the new site, he envisions an office, garden center and many of the same elements as the current location.

While the business will continue to sell items related to gardening, it’s getting out of home decor, he said.

“That’s really not our interest anymore,” he said. “We were one of the first people to carry home decor, and now we’ll be one of the first to get out of it.”

He anticipates a cleaner layout for the new property that’s on 271st Street between Western and Louise avenues that still will allow for the events and activities Landscape currently offers.

“We do a tremendous amount of tours for kids in the spring and fall to talk to them about plants and growing things, so we’ll be focusing on that,” Helland said. “When my dad built this in 1977, we built on 5 acres and just kept Band-Aiding and adding on to the site, and now we know what we’re really good at. There will be certain things we’ll continue to do and certain things we might discontinue.”

Initial work on the new site has started, and the plan is to move services and landscaping out there yet this year in preparation for next season, when greenhouses will be relocated. The entire operation’s move will depend on development-driven interest at 85th Street and Minnesota Avenue, he said.

“It will be a transitional period.”

Want to stay in the know?

Get our free business news delivered to your inbox.



Landscape Garden Centers plans for new location

After more than 40 years on South Minnesota Avenue, Landscape Garden Centers plans to move a little farther south and west.

News Tip

Have a business news item to share with us?

Scroll to top