Smith & Hawken Closing

I learned over the weekend that Smith & Hawken is closing all its stores. For some of us, it's the end of an era, but others, including Paul Hawken himself, apparently feel it's past time for the doors to close.

The company started out with basics meant to last a lifetime and gradually became more and more upscale. As commenters on Garden Rant indicated, the company changed after its acquisition by a major firm. Many said they could no longer afford to buy anything there, but they had fond memories of its original cause. Scroll down to see the article and comments.

I never bought the gardener's pants that I coveted, but did get some good tools. When I retired in 2003, my co-workers surprised me with a very generous gift card that I gradually used up at the Westfield store. More recently, my purchases have been more in the realm of amaryllis bulbs or packets of fancy seeds, as I had no excuse to buy more tools.

The events of the weekend having clouded my mind, I did not head off to Westfield yesterday to look for bargains, but hope to get there soon.

Changes after a corporate acquisition of a company do tend to dilute the founders' intent. Another danger is getting too heavy on garden playthings instead of necessities, as I see happening at another favorite company. I just ordered slug bait and a tool sharpener from that company, but never mind the tchochkes like solar-powered garden decorations.

It's too bad that Smith & Hawken strayed from its roots, so to speak, and grew into a mercantile operation like many another that is becoming unsustainable in these times. Still, I offer a tip of my Smith & Hawken garden hat to its memory.

--Bernice