Hello Smith, hello Hawken, hello Giada
Gardeners were disappointed and angry in July when Scotts Miracle-Gro decided to close the 56 Smith & Hawken stores it had purchased and liquidate the inventory.
But Target has now acquired the upscale gardening brand, along with Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis - in what looks like a move to take on the Home Depot/Martha Stewart partnership - just in time for those spring outdoor living purchases.
It makes sense since Target already sold Smith & Hawken outdoor furniture and other decorative products. It appears that Target will sell Smith & Hawken products in its stores rather than re-open the individual stores.
The company was begun by Dave Smith and Paul Hawken in Mill Valley, Calif., in 1979, and quickly established a national reputation for high quality - and pretty high prices. The brand was sold twice in the 1990s before Scotts bought it for $68. million in 2004.
Comments
I thought the gardening department at Target had a familiar feel. I just never put it together.
Posted by: Reggie | January 23, 2010 11:15 AM