Cofer’s Home and Garden Showplace celebrates 100th anniversary | Arts & Culture
This month, neighborhood plant retail outlet and nursery Cofer’s Home and Backyard Showplace is celebrating 100 years of family members-oriented services to the Athens community.
Started in 1922 by Hal Cofer Sr., the small business commenced due to the fact Athens was initially a farm group and the financial state was booming in that industry, reported latest shop operator Stuart Cofer. Cofer’s was in the beginning found on South Lumpkin Street close to the Ga Theatre just before moving to East Broad Avenue following Hal Cofer Sr. bought out his business associate. Due to the fact then, the site has transformed two periods but is now settled on Mitchell Bridge Street.
A garden memorial signal swings in the wind at Cofer’s Property and Backyard Showplace on March 25, 2022 in Athens, Ga. This thirty day period, Cofer’s is celebrating its 100th anniversary. (Picture/Maddy Franklin)
Stuart Cofer is a component of the third technology to choose around the enterprise. He believes dealing with clients by “the golden rule” is how Cofer’s has stayed in company for a century.
“If you don’t address the customer ideal, what is likely to transpire? The buyer is going to go away and go to a competitor,” Cofer stated.
Cofer recounted a situation exactly where a person impacted by a stroke walked by way of the doorway and could not connect. Right after crafting down that he experienced a plant die final fall but did not have a receipt for it, Cofer even now gave him keep credit rating.
“Any other corporate retail store would say ‘no receipt, no products, no way.’ But, in a smaller family members company, you do regardless of what you can to keep the buyer joyful,” Cofer stated.
The relatives business enterprise product is a neat a person for retail store supervisor of 4 many years, Dean Nelson, who is from Minnesota and has labored for massive businesses and community organizations alike.
“There are not a lot of 100-calendar year-aged businesses wherever,” Nelson stated.”
Nelson also thinks treating the prospects proper is a way to hold the enterprise afloat and said “Shopping is an psychological working experience.”
Family memorabilia decorate the wall of Cofer’s Property and Backyard Showplace on March 25, 2022 in Athens, Georgia. The retailer is now run by the family’s 3rd era. (Picture/Maddy Franklin)
There is a lot more to Cofer’s longevity than just managing prospects proper, Cofer explained. Providing again to the community has been essential to the store’s results.
“[Locals] like to give again to the providers that dwell and breathe below,” Cofer reported. The shop donates to quite a few nonprofit corporations such as the American Cancer Culture, Habitat for Humanity, Clarke Central Higher University and the Athens Area Humane Society.
In accordance to Family members Organization Alliance, only 3{73375d9cc0eb62eadf703eace8c5332f876cb0fdecf5a1aaee3be06b81bdcf82} of family members-owned businesses make it to the fourth era. Cofer’s will be a component of that very small percent. Stuart Cofer’s son, Stephen Cofer who is now a third calendar year at the University of Georgia, will acquire above for his father when the time comes.
A celebration is also underway for the centennial year from March 25-27, situated at Cofer’s with meals vans, radio stations, and are living tunes.
