GARDENING Gurneys back from the dead

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Web posted Monday, December 31, 2001

Blooming: Gurney's Doing Business Again Former Yankton Business Purchased From Bankruptcy, Trying To Recapture Past Success

BY DAN SPRINGER P&D Assistant Managing Editor

Once given up for dead after its parent company went bankrupt, Gurney's Seed and Nursery Co. is back in business.

The former longtime Yankton establishment, which closed when its owner, Foster and Gallagher, Inc., filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, is back in operation after being purchased in a September auction.

Gardens Alive!, a Lawrenceburg, Ind.-based mail-order nursery business, purchased Foster and Gallagher's horticultural division for $10.75 million on Sept. 20. As part of the deal, Gardens Alive! acquired Gurney's Seed and Nursery, Co., Michigan Bulb, Spring Hill Nurseries, Henry Fields, Stark Bros. and Breck Bulbs.

Gardens Alive! has since sold Stark Bros. to investors in Louisiana and Missouri who will operate the business regionally, a company spokesman said.

Within weeks of completing the purchase, Gardens Alive! has already released the 2002 Gurney catalogue, which was released in November. Just last week the company also unveiled a new interactive Gurney's website offering an on-line catalogue.

While the Gurney operation will not come back to Yankton, many local gardeners and backyard farmers who came to rely on the Gurney catalogue to plan their spring planting will find few changes in the appearance and contents of the catalogue, a company spokesman said.

"Gurney's 2002 catalogue has been mailed out. Those customers who received it in the past should get one very soon, if they haven't already gotten one. If they don't receive one they can get one on the Gurney website (www.gurneys.com) and order one," said Randy Schultz, a spokesman for Gardens Alive! "The Great news for Gurney's faithful customers is that it looks like the old catalogue. The personality of the catalogue remains the same. We think people are going to like that."

Although Foster and Gallagher has sold the Yankton buildings and property once used to grow, warehouse and distribute Gurney's products worldwide, Schultz said, Yankton will continue to be associated with the Gurney name.

"People in the Yankton area will probably find it interesting that the catalogue still has a Yankton return address. I don't know what kind of presence Gardens Alive! has in Yankton, but they at least have a post office box there," he said.

The company's new owners has a history of solid, quality business practices, Schultz said.

The Gardens Alive catalogue was started in 1984. Over the years Gardens Alive! has become one of the larger mail order garden catalogues in the country. They focus on natural and environmentally friendly products, he said.

Gurney's was started by Lt. Colonel C.W. Gurney in 1866. It moved to Yankton in 1882, and was operated by the Gurney family until 1942 when it was sold to private investors. Foster and Gallagher purchased the company from Don Kruml in 1999 and moved the operation out of Yankton in 2000.

In June of this year, Foster and Gallagher announced it was closing its entire horticulture division, leaving hundreds of people in several states out of work. The closing only affected a few workers who moved with the company from Yankton to Michigan.

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2002

Answers

From gurneys.com:

Gurney's Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I heard that Gurney's went out of business. Is this true?

A. A few years ago Gurney's was sold to a much larger direct mail oriented company, Foster and Gallagher. This summer, Foster and Gallagher declared bankruptcy, unfortunately putting thousands of people out of work, and leaving tens of thousands of loyal Gurney's customers with no place to turn.

A group of lifelong mail order gardeners bought Gurney's at a bankruptcy hearing in September, and, with your help, well restore it to the glory days of old.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you've experienced over the last couple of years, particularly over the last couple of months. Please bear with us, and stick with Gurney's. Together well make 2002 an historic season as we bring back Gurney's back the way you remember it in the 90s and before.

Q. I had problems with the handling of my order by Foster and Gallagher (also known as myseasons.com) last year. How do I know I wont have problems this year?

A. We have heard reports that some customers werent treated well by the former owners of Gurney's, particularly those who ordered over the summer. Again, we apologize for this. Although we only took control in late October, weve done a top-down review of everything about Gurney's. Weve improved the quality of the plants and seeds well ship this year by being more choosey. Weve improved customer service because were focused on just gardening (the former Foster and Gallagher had businesses from toys to gifts to prepared foods). Together, the group restoring Gurney's have several hundred years of mail order gardening and nursery experience. We promise you wont be disappointed.

Q. I ordered from Gurney's last summer (when Foster and Gallagher/myseasons.com was running the company), they cashed my check and never shipped my order. What can I do?

A. Unfortunately, when Foster and Gallagher declared bankruptcy, they owed several banks a lot of money. The final bankruptcy decree ruled that the banks got to keep the cash customers sent in, even if Foster and Gallagher never shipped an order. If youre one of the customers who had this happen, again, we apologize. We dont have your money…the banks to whom Foster and Gallagher owed money do. If youre one of these customers, youll receive a catalog from us after the New Year with a special savings certificate to allow you to make up at least some of your loss.

Q. I bought a plant from Gurney's (when it was owned by Foster and Gallagher/myseasons.com) last year. It hasnt done so well. What can I do?

A. Again, unfortunately, when Foster and Gallagher declared bankruptcy, the courts put aside no money or resources to take care of customers who needed plants replaced. We promise you two things: 1) Were gardeners who have, together, several hundred years worth of experience shipping plants to customers. The quality of the plants and seeds you get this year will be better than 2001. 2) If you have any problems this year, well stand behind what we ship.

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2002


Thanks for posting this, Big K!

I just sent an order for a catalog.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002


Received a catalog to Select Seeds last week. (www.selectseeds.com) I'm going to try the yellow Prairie Coneflower.

I think Guerneys was the one who sent me the bareroot shrubs when my ground was still frozen several years back. What a pain. Also, 1 of the 3 Pink Flowering Almonds that I bought from them to plant as a clump turned out to be white. Sorta ruined the effect.

Other than that, thrilled they are still in business...

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002


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