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IN THE BEGINNING...

Charlie, the general manger
LOGO of The Home & Garden Store

It all started in February of 1976 when a friend asked Charlie if he would possibly be interested in helping him landscape his new home. Now Charlie and his friend Pete worked full time at a local bank in Boise, but the challenge sounded exciting and thus, a new business was born. 
 
Charlie named the new company G & H Nursery (initials of the last names of both individuals) and for the next two years, it went by that name.  Pete really had no interest in the landscape and nursery industry, only to landscape his home and when that was completed, he had no further interest.  Charlie however, took what classes were offered at Boise State College at the time and never looked back at giving up on the landscape and  nursery business. 
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In the spring of 1979, Charlie purchased several acres of property on Ustick Road near Milwaukee Street in Boise, now the location of a Boise Fire Department building.  He changed the name of his business in 1979 to FarWest Landscape & Garden Center when he made the move to Ustick.  From this location, he purchased nursery stock and landscaped properties in and around Boise.  His first true semi-load of nursery stock came in and he didn’t know how much work was involved in unloading and moving a semi-load of nursery material (by himself) would be.  Never the less, while working full time banking (he had to make a living and the nursery business didn’t pay the bills), evenings and weekends were dedicated to the landscape and nursery business.  Charlie continued to work part time at this business and in 1985, decided to purchase property at 5728 W. State Street in Boise, along with his wife Mary.  She was the backbone of the business and worked there full time as Charlie was first a banker, then a nurseryman.  In 1989, business was good at FarWest and in the spring of that year, he retired as a vice-president from the banking business.
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For the first year in business at this location (1985), he settled on an agreement with the property owner which allowed him to lease the property with the understanding that if the business was not viable, the owner would get the property back and no further obligation would be accessed.  Well, guess what?  The business was not able to even cover costs that year or for the next two years, however Charlie felt that his love for the landscape and nursery business was enough to continue forward.  He made the offer to purchase the business from the property owner, Don Sabala and for the next two years, payments were made to Mr. Sabala.   In the spring of 1987, Charlie found better interest rates at a local bank and thus obtained a mortgage loan on the property. 
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Now his business was not just banking and the nursery business.  Throughout his career, he spent 20 years in the Army/Air National Guard, owned/co-owned numerous rentals, co-owned a printing business, and bought and sold several autos and trucks for additional income. Needless to say, he truly enjoyed working, but in 1999, Charlie decided to leave the nursery industry, at least for a short period of time.  Charlie then sold FarWest Landscape & Garden Center to Dennis Fix, an outstanding employee of the company.  The agreement was written on one sheet of paper and Dennis never missed a payment. Turns out that some future co-owners were not as honest as he. 
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The year 2000 created another opportunity for Charlie to invest in the nursery business.  He, along with another investor purchased property out of bankruptcy.  The property was built a few years prior as a garden center, so the investment seemed a great opportunity.  So, prior to the purchase, Charlie formed a new company as a proprietorship and named the new company, The Home & Garden Store.  After some time passed, Charlie and the new co-owner made the purchase of this property through the bankruptcy court.  He then spent that year building a formable relationship with many avid gardeners in the Treasure Valley. This location was quite large and included a very large greenhouse attached to the main building along with 4 separate stand-alone greenhouses located upon the property.  Success there was tremendous, however the relationship of the co-owner’s was less desirable than the one Charlie had with Mr. Fix.  So, he sold his interest in that business and moved forward.
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In 2001, Charlie created yet another nursery with another co-owner.  After 5 more years in the nursery industry, they sold the business.  Thinking retirement was a good option, he settled down working part-time for a local company in Boise.  That lasted for a few years.  Older but not wanting to retire completely, his grand-daughter indicated she would like to be involved in the nursery business.  Great!  The opportunity to start again and work for free (that’s the best way to start any business).  As time passed, our grand-daughter married and had 2 children and she had less time for the nursery.  Next step: Gavin who is Shay's (our grand-daughter) brother wanted be somewhat involved in the nursery business.  Gavin was outstanding and a nation-wide business offered him much more money than our small business could pay and being a grand-parent and wanting the best for our grand kids, we bid him farewell ( the company that hired Gavin got an outstanding employee, we get gardeners who come to our nursery nearly every week telling us how much they enjoyed working with Gavin).  So now what do we do?  Well, fortunately our daughter who worked in the dental industry for many years was ready to change professions and now she is here at The Home & Garden Store in Boise.  I am so happy to have her here.  She is an outstanding interior designer and a talented artist. As I add this information to our story, she is busy changing our little nursery into her own creation.  I think you'll be impressed with the changes she is making.  When you're in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello to Shannon.  She is a perfect fit to our warm and inviting nursery.  
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So, here is the beginning of a new business with an old name, The Home & Garden Store.  It’s a 2-family owned business with co-owner Dennis C. and Charlie’s daughter Shannon sharing ownership.  Things sometimes start out well and sometimes end up well.  Let’s forget some of the middle.

 

Over 49 years of nursery and landscape experience here in the Treasure Valley!

"Idaho Certified Nurseryman"

Charlie with Home and Garden Store

Our Business & Me

MEET CHARLIE WHEN VISITING OUR STORE...

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Hello – I’m Charlie, the General Manager of The Home & Garden Store.  Dennis, the Chief Executive Officer and co-owner of The Home & Garden Store and I have been working together for the past several years to develop a small, locally owned nursery here in the Treasure Valley.  I have over 49 years of nursery experience and I am an Idaho Certified Nurseryman.  

 

My wife and I have several grandchildren, among those who have worked here at The Home & Garden Store are Shannon, Shay, Gavin and Liam, all who have taken a great deal of pride in our business over the past several years, helping develop this into the success it is today.  Being a small business gives us the opportunity to provide our customers with the quality of merchandise they have come to expect along with outstanding service. 

 

When you're here, stop and say hello to Dennis.  He certainly has a vast amount of knowledge, having also worked the the nursery/landscape business for over 42+ years.  Without Dennis, this business simply would  not exist.  I depend on him for his knowledge and help everyday!  And when it comes to landscaping, he is as knowledgeable as anyone in Idaho.  His vision in landscape design is impeccable.

 

And please don't forget to say hello to Dennis, Shay, Laree, Shannon and the rest of the crew.  We all appreciate each and every one of our customers.

​If you ever have a question concerning a product, a plant, or a landscape project, please feel free to contact us at 208.917.4820.  We would like thank you for the opportunity to serve you and we look forward to seeing you in the near future. 

Expect the best,
Charlie


          The Home & Garden Store - Boise, Idaho 
 

Over 44 years of floral, garden center, nursery and landscape experience here in the Treasure Valley!
 

Our Business & Me

MEET DENNIS WHEN VISITING OUR STORE...

Thank you for visiting our website...

Hello, I'm Dennis, Chief Executive Officer, co-owner and manager of The Home & Garden Store as well as owner and manager of Aloha Landscape and Sprinkler. I have been in the landscape and nursery industry for over 43 years and I invite you to stop by our beautiful, quaint garden center and experience the quality of products and the outstanding service you'll receive when you're here.  

 

As many of you know, I was born and raised in Hawaii.  I came to Boise on a football scholarship.  Upon graduation from The College of Idaho with a double degree in Physical Education and Biology, I taught school in the Boise school system for several years, however my real interest was in the landscape and nursery business.  For several years I owned and operated a florist company in Boise.  After many years in the floral business I retired from the floral industry.  After some time, I went to work for the owners of Garden Center West in Boise.  Having gained considerable experience in the nursery business, I started Aloha Landscape and Sprinkler which is located at 4291 S. Cloverdale Rd. here in Boise, the same location where The Home & Garden Store now exists.

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If you ever have a question concerning a product or a nursery plant, please feel free to contact me at 208-917-4820 or on my cell phone at 208-484-7044. We would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve you and we look forward to seeing you in the near future.

 

Again, I would like to invite you to our garden center and nursery.  I think you will enjoy the service, the knowledge, and our small, but friendly staff.

Expect the best,

Dennis C.

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The Home & Garden Store - Boise, Idaho

Dennis, CEO of The Home & Garden Store

Our Business & Me

MEET SHANNON WHEN VISITING OUR STORE...

Shannon, President of The Home & Garden Store

Hi, I'm Shannon and I hope you stop by our nursery/garden center next time you're looking for help in the garden.  My dad, Charlie has been helping people just like you for over 49 years.  I am really new to the nursery industry, but I have been around this business since a child and understand the importance of helping customers.  I've worked in the dental field for many years and felt it's time for a change. And it's nice to know that if you have a question I can't answer, we have several qualified employees here that can answer your questions.  

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Some of you may know several of my children who have worked here in the past; Gavin, Shay and Liam have helped dad around the nursery and my husband Martin helps when we need his expertise to complete a project.  One of the most important people here at The Home & Garden Store is Dennis, who knows and cares about all his customers and we appreciate him so much. 

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With the help of Dennis and my dad, we are making a few changes around the nursery, adding a few new items and improving on the old.  We have recently installed a new point-of-sale system and this has been keeping us quite busy. I look forward to seeing you here at The Home & Garden Store.

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Expect the best, 

Shannon R.

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       The Home & Garden Store - Boise, Idaho

Our Business & Me

MEET SCOTT WHEN VISITING OUR STORE...

Hello - I'm Scott, the Nursery Manager at The Home & Garden Store in Boise and I'm here to help you with all your nursery questions.  I am relativity new to the nursery, but I look forward to meeting new gardening friends as well as those who visit our nursery frequently.  Please stop by and allow me to assist you in finding the right plant for your garden.

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Expect the best, 

Scott B.

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              The Home & Garden Store - Boise, Idaho

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Note: Scott has since left the nursery industry and we miss having him here.  He was an outstanding manager as well as a great individual.  We certainly wish him the very best in his job with the State of Idaho.

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Charlie

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Scott, employee

Our Business & Our Family 

MEET SHAY AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHEN VISITING OUR STORE...

Shay, Hayden, Sailor and Brier

    Award winning service - Quality products...
                                                                                 
We take very seriously the responsibility of providing our customers with the best shopping experience in the Boise Valley.  When  you shop at The Home & Garden Store, we will do our best to make sure you receive the information needed to acquire the products and plant material that is best for your home.  We have available an Idaho Certified Nurseryman with over 49 years experience in the nursery industry.  With good communication, integrity, and a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, we are able to form relationships that are beneficial for our customers when making decisions regarding the landscape. 

 

Pictured are our two beautiful daughters and my loving husband who works at a local bank in the area.


From time to time, you will find us at 4291 S. Cloverdale Rd. in  Boise. Stop by and say hello and we look forward to working with all our gardening friends.

Expect the best,
Shay W.


​      The Home & Garden Store - Boise, Idaho

Our Business & Me

MEET GAVIN WHEN VISITING OUR STORE...

Gavin, son of Shannon

                   
Hello - I'm Gavin and I have worked with my grandpa for several years, but recently I was offered a position with Key Bank, a bank that The Home & Garden Store has worked with for many years.  I will miss being at The Home & Garden Store and certainly plan on stopping by as time permits.  The folks at Key Bank are great and my grandpa has said that he is glad I found such a great bank to work for. 

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My grandpa and our family have taken a great deal of pride in The Home & Garden Store and that has been instilled in me also. Working in management for a small business gave me the opportunity to provide customers with the quality of merchandise they have come to expect along with outstanding service from this company. 

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I hope to see some of our gardening friends and say hello when I have the opportunity to stop by.

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Expect the best, 

Gavin R.



​             The Home & Garden Store - Boise, Idaho

Our Business & Me

MEET LIAM WHEN VISITING OUR STORE...

Liam working part time at nursery

                      We're here to help you...

As we state in our mission statement, 'Expect the Best'!  We are here to serve you, our customers, by providing the best products and services available.  We believe that for our customers to succeed in the garden, we must offer products of the highest standards.  All plants, garden products and home décor are of premium quality and professional grade.  If you take reasonable care of a product and yet are dissatisfied, return the product within 15 days with your receipt for a full refund.  The Home & Garden Store will refund your money - with a smile!  Products returned after 15 days but within 90 days of purchase will receive 50% of the purchase price paid for the item, providing the product was returned in the same condition as when it left our garden center/nursery. 

 

Any product or service discounted 15% or more from our retail price at time of purchase is not guaranteed. Special orders are made on behalf of the customer and require special attention, often one where the product is not one that we carry nor can it be returned to the wholesaler, therefore we cannot except returns on special orders.  

 

The Home & Garden Store guarantees all plants purchased directly from our retail sales area (excluding special orders) for thirty days from the date of purchase. Of course annuals and perennials (including tropical plants) are not covered by our guarantee.  Any refunds provided by us will be made in the same form as that which was used at time of purchase.  Payments by check may require additional time to "Clear" the bank it was drawn on.

Expect the best,
Liam R.

 

NOTE:  Liam is in medical school at the University of Washington and is here from time to time during the summer months.

 

Liam graduated in the fall/winter of 2020 summa cum laude magna and is continuing his education in the medical field.

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Update: Congratulations Doctor Liam R.  Our grandson (One of Shannon's children) Liam is now working at a hospital in Seattle, Washington.

​             The Home & Garden Store - Boise, Idaho

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