Robbinsdale Sees Garden Business Expand with ‘Birdtown Backyard’
For years, garden enthusiasts in Robbinsdale haven’t had an extensive array of options for where they could shop.
“Kind of had a dry spell as far as nurseries went,” said Brandon Caviness, an employee of the Welna Ace Hardware in Robbinsdale.
However, that all changed this spring.
“We are in the new garden center here at the Birdtown Backyard,” said Bryan Dawson, the manager of Welna Ace Hardware, as he stood in a space that was once used to store lawnmowers and snowblowers.
Two years ago, the hardware store purchased the space formerly occupied by the small engine repair shop, Robbinsdale Marine and turned it into the Birdtown Backyard.
“It took some time and effort to really make this place our own,” Dawson said. “If you could imagine 50 years or so worth of motor oil and gasoline everywhere, it took a lot of cleaning up to do.”
Phase one of the Birdtown Backyard involved stocking the building with grilling supplies, patio furniture and pet food.
Earlier this year, they launched phase two in the form of an expanded garden center.
Alicia Losier of Minneapolis checks out the inventory at Welna Ace Hardware’s new garden center.
“We’re happy to expand on what we’ve done in the past and really just make this a community asset,” Dawson said.
The garden center has a wide variety of plants, flowers, tools and plenty of other things people with a green thumb could use.
So far, the reception has been positive.
“I’m actually really impressed,” said Alicia Losier, a customer. “I didn’t know that they would have very much here, so I’m excited about that and found some stuff I’m probably gonna get today.”
The hope is that customers like Losier won’t have to travel to big box stores outside of Robbinsdale to fulfill their gardening needs.
And if these first few weeks of spring are any indication, the garden center in the Birdtown Backyard will be a busy place for years to come.
“We’ve had record days just about every day,” Dawson said.
In case you were wondering, during the winter, the plan is to use the garden center space as a lot for Christmas trees.
Related: Robbinsdale Marine to Close After 50+ Years, Welna Ace Hardware to Expand
