Earl May Garden Centers Closing Seven Stores Amid Competition from Big-Box Retailers
Earl May Nursery & Garden Center, a century-old company founded in 1919, is closing seven of its 28 stores across Missouri and Nebraska. The closures come amid growing competition from big-box retailers like Home Depot and Lowe's, which dominate the gardening supplies market according to the Axiom Gardening Outlook Study. The study found that 32% of consumers bought most garden supplies at Home Depot in 2024, with Lowe’s (19%) and Walmart (17%) following. Independent Garden Centers ranked fourth at 12%. On plant purchases, Home Depot led again with 34%, followed by Lowe's (16%) and IGCs (15%). Experts suggest that local garden centers struggle to compete due to the pricing power and convenience of big-box stores. Despite challenges, independent garden centers still have advantages such as higher perceived quality in plants and knowledgeable staff. However, industry leaders argue they cannot match national chains' scale or overhead efficiency.
Topics: Earl May Garden Centers garden centers Home Depot Lowe's market share