Duluth has a variety of smaller, well-rooted businesses that have been connected to the town for decades and Woody's is no different. Their website has photos of downtown Duluth from way back that let you know that this place has been here for a while, and plan to be in the future. If how they do business is any metric, then they will be,
Suwanee decided that the wooded area behind my house needs to be townhomes, and once I saw the plans, I realized that these new townhomes would be right at my property's door. Once I walked the new proposed lot, it hit me that I am going to need natural barrier/plants and in a hurry.
Now most middle-Americans first response would be to walk into a Home Depot, Lowe's or even Pike Nursery (for Atlantans). This would be the logical response if I needed one or two plants an maybe one bag of soil or landscape accoutrements. Well the "townhome project" required plants and soil in bulk, so a different approach was needed. I had passed Woody's for years never needing them, until today. I checked out their website and their services, then dropped in for a visit.
Understanding that commercial customers come first will service the "normal customer" in this case. Don't think that you are being avoided if you aren't greeted immediately. Woody's existence is to serve local landscapers and wholesale customers FIRST, so keep this in mind. I have no issues with this way of thinking because most "big box" customers are douchebag, self-centered people anyway, thinking that if they stomp their feet hard enough or pitch a fit, that someone will help them. Woody's is not for you if this sounds like you or your significant other.
I spoke to Frank, who helped us figure out which plants we needed, and he went out of his way to make sure that I had the plants delivered to my house (even when weekend delivery is not typically available). The plants are healthy, and we got to choose which ones were delivered. The prices were well under both Pike Nursery, and the big box stores, AND the plants look much healthier and better groomed for local usage.
Yeah, I dropped big bucks (for me at least) on some trees, and would have no qualms spending money with Woody's again. I would much rather support a local business with real ties to the community that has personal service, then support a box store. If Woody's had spray paint, I would drive out of my way to buy it, but that's where another Duluth institution has me covered (Howard's). read more