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English Gardens Receives National Retailer of the Year Award
We are proud to announce that English Gardens has been named the 2015 IGC Retailer of the Year from the IGC (Independent Garden Center) Magazine.
The IGC Retailer of the Year Award is presented annually to a garden center demonstrating notable leadership and innovation. The award was established in memory of Dick Morey, founder of IGC Magazine and an advocate for the independent garden center industry.
The award was given during the IGC Show at Navy Pier in Chicago on August 20, 2015. Our Co-Founders John and Phyllis Darin accepted the award, along with other shareholders.
Ten of the company’s 15 shareholders work in the company. They include:
- John Darin, President (Son of John & Phyllis Darin)
- Debbie Lowman, Chief Information Officer (Daughter of John & Phyllis Darin)
- Lynette Walker, Purchasing Manager (Daughter of John & Phyllis Darin)
- Dean Darin, Store Director for Royal Oak and Dearborn Heights, and Purchasing Manager (Son of John & Phyllis Darin)
- Judy Darin, sales associate in Dearborn Heights floral department (Dean’s Wife, daughter-in-law of John & Phyllis Darin)
- Bob Walker, Business to Business Development Manager (Lynette’s Husband, son-in-law of John & Phyllis Darin)
- Kevin Lowman, Special Projects Manager (Debbie’s Husband, son-in-law of John & Phyllis Darin)
- Rick Vespa, Vice President, Purchasing Hard Goods, and President, English Gardens Landscape Company (Son of the late Henry & the late Marie Vespa)
- Frank Janosz, Vice President, Purchasing Live Goods (Son-in-law of the late Henry & the late Marie Vespa)
- Linda Vespa Yugovich, Vice President/Buyer (Daughter of the late Henry & the late Marie Vespa)
A Little English Gardens History
English Gardens was founded in 1954 by three brothers-in-law — — John Darin, Sr., Andrew Donatiello and Henry Vespa, planting a seed that would bloom into a thriving family business.
English Gardens was 20 years old when they purchased the store from Mr. English and began their partnership. English Gardens originally consisted of a garden center that was open nine months a year.
Since then, we have grown to six retail locations, each with a nursery, garden center, patio shop, and seasonal Christmas center. Four of our stores operate full-service floral departments. English Gardens also has an award-winning, full-service Landscape Company offering design, installation, maintenance and holiday decorating services.
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