My heart is with local, independent, small businesses.

Give me an indie bookstore, art shop, coffee shop, t–shirt shop, bakery, local foods restaurant — you get the picture! — over a chain any day!

(Oh, and I can write about global food supply and trends, too. Just saying.)

I’ve covered business people and market trends in dozens of stories as a freelance writer and former on-staff managing editor for two business publications. In particular: the food industry (retail and foodservice), global seafood, specialty retail, garden and nursery retailing, family business and entrepreneurs.

Here are some favorites:

For Independent Garden Center (IGC) magazine, I reported and wrote about 40 business profiles of independent garden centers and nursery retailers over eight years. These appeared as IGC magazine cover story exclusives.

A few of my favorites:

IGC Retail Revival

During his 40 years in the business, Bill Caras of Caras Nursery in Missoula, Montana, has weathered his share of storms. Today, his renewed passion for IGC retail is paying off – sales are up, and the money’s in the bank. (Images & text by Lisa Duchene)

 

 

Keeping it Real

Through their deep-rooted, genuine love of plants, and sharing that joy with their customers, Ed Blatter and Deby Barnhart built Cornell Farm in Portland, Oregon. Now, their children carry on their mission with their own unique Millennial perspectives and contributions to the business. (Images and text by Lisa Duchene.)

 

 

 

NYC’s Urban Garden Center ~ Rising From the Ashes

Damage from a four-alarm fire at its site under NYC’s Metro-North Railroad bridge doesn’t stop this fierce IGC from greening up the city with all it sells. (Images and text by Lisa Duchene.)

 

Gale’s & Donzell’s. Two sisters. Two stores. One mission.

Sisters Julie DiFeo and Pam Donzelli grew up in their father’s garden center business in northern Ohio. Now, each runs her own store, Donzell’s and Gale’s, fewer than 50 miles from the other, driven by the same mission: ‘You have to work harder to stay ahead.’

 

 

101 Market. Triumph Over Challenge.

The Nathes family opened its dream store then got the call: A road construction project would reconfigure the highway and obliterate their site lines. After the shock wore off, they came up with a plan. Today, their sales are strong as ever.