Andoniadis Retail Service

When done right, the retail presence associated with botanical institutions has the greatest revenue potential of all 'museum' stores. Andoniadis Retail Services has specialized in enhancing the profits of garden and arboreta stores since 1992, and has probably worked with more stores of all kinds and sizes throughout the United States than any other consultant.

Andrew Andoniadis, the owner of Andoniadis Retail Services, first worked in retail at age twelve pushing a broom in the back room of a men's clothing store in Deerfield, Illinois. He continued to work in retail through graduate school. In 1985 he developed the first retail store for Smith & Hawken, the nationwide marketer of fine quality gardening implements. Later he co-founded Quinby's For The Curious Child, a California-based book, and arts and crafts store that was sold to members of the Disney family in 1989.

Although Andrew has consulted on all aspects of garden stores, the three most frequently requested services include:

Review Program
Starting with a questionnaire that has been widely praised for its thorough and thought-provoking format, the review evaluates all aspects of garden store operations and recommends specific courses of action to improve profitability and visitor satisfaction.

Layout and Design Services
From helping to determine the optimal size and location of a new store to redesign ideas for a remodeled retail presence, consulting in this area includes fixture layout and design with the goals of providing superior customer service and maximizing revenue.

Strategic Planning
Work in this area includes financial projections, mission-related inventory selection and control, and operations and staffing recommendations for all aspects of the retail presence including bricks and mortar and e-commerce sales.

Projects that have incorporated aspects of the services above include work for the following institutions:
Alaska Botanical Garden - Anchorage, AK
Birmingham Botanical Garden - Birmingham, AL
Cape Fear Botanical Garden - Fayetteville, NC
Chicago Botanic Garden - Glencoe, IL
Cox Arboretum and Gardens - Dayton, OH
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden - Belmont, NC
Garvan Woodland Gardens - Hot Springs, AR
Holden Arboretum - Kirtland, OH
Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, OR
International Rose Test Garden - Portland, OR
Japanese Garden Society - Portland, OR
Lan Su Chinese Garden - Portland, OR
Morton Arboretum - Lisle, IL
Oldfields - Lilly House & Gardens- Indianapolis, IN
Oregon Garden - Silverton, OR
Phipps Conservatory - Pittsburgh, PA
Queens Botanical Garden- Queens, NY
Red Butte Garden - Salt Lake City, UT
Reiman Gardens - Ames, IA
Rhododendron Species Gardens - Federal Way, WA
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Shangri La Botanical Gardens - Orange, TX
UCSC Arboretum - Santa Cruz, CA
Wave Hill - Bronx, NY
Yew Dell Gardens - Crestwood, KY

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (left) and Morton Arboretum (right)

In addition to consulting, Andrew publishes the Profitable Times newsletter, available on his web site, and has contributed to Public Garden and Nursery Retailer Magazine. He has trained, motivated, and managed employees and volunteers for a wide range of garden store sales, buying, and administrative responsibilities. Andrew has also been a featured seminar presenter at APGA and trade shows and conferences throughout the United States and Canada, and in Australia, Japan and Europe.

Further information about Andoniadis Retail Services can be found at:
http://www.GardenStoreConsulting.com
Andrew@GardenStoreConsulting.com
Voice & Fax: 503.629.9279

Andrew Andoniadis will be presenting the Keys To A Successful Garden Store workshop at the 2010 Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.