This Dobbies had a soft opening on January 29th and is "officially" open on February 4th, 2011. My sister-in-law wanted to check this one out and being unemployed, I said was more than happy to tag along, as long as we could throw in a stop at Ikea (which we did). Anywho, this brand spankin' new Dobbies is very bright, shiny, and smells great. It goes on forever and has all manner of items which one would not normally expect to find together under one roof. Locally sourced eggs and vegetables? Check. A watering can in the shape of an elephant? Check. A scarf? A Buddha statue? Greeting cards? Check, check, check.
I am unfamiliar with the garden center concept, being an American, but I get it. It's a browser's dream, particularly a browser who likes to garden. There's a sleek cafe with, literally, mounds upon mounds of tempting confections as well as a regularly rotating selection of sandwiches, entrees and soups. The food is actually really nice, and the restaurant is quite comfortable. One can come along, browse the random assortment of wares, and then have a nice long lunch.
You probably won't catch me hanging around at Dobbies. However, if perusing garden centers is your thing, this glossy new Dobbies will probably knock your socks off. read more