Sandy Richter is closing the gates on Sandy's Back Porch Gardens, the Belleville nursery that has been in business for 21 years, with her final day of business set for early next month. The 65-year-old owner is saying goodbye to longtime customers while clearing out inventory at a discount, even as she holds out hope that someone else can keep the greenhouses growing.
A Final Sale Before the Gates Close
According to bnd.com, the last day of business is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7. Shoppers have only weeks left to visit the nursery, which is offering 30% off purchases, excluding fall mums, as it winds down operations.
Richter is an outdoor enthusiast, a former accountant and a mother of four with one grandchild, the outlet reports. She worked two seasons at Effinger's Garden Center in Belleville before striking out on her own, eventually expanding her own operation by adding greenhouses and building a warehouse to support the growing business.
From a Home Landscaping Project to a Local Destination
Richter became interested in landscaping after her family built a new home in the 1990s, a hobby that eventually turned into a career and, ultimately, a business of her own. Over the years, the nursery grew into a go-to destination for area gardeners, becoming a Proven Winners destination in 2020.
The nursery's seasonal offerings include spring hanging baskets and patio containers, summer hydrangeas, fall mums and pansies, and winter evergreen arrangements.
Hope for a New Owner Next Spring
Richter hopes a horticulturist interested in buying the nursery will be able to secure financing and reopen it next spring, the same report notes. If that happens, she has agreed to stay on as a consultant for one year to help smooth the transition for a new owner.
Belleville customer Patty Karfs captured what many longtime shoppers seem to feel about the closure. “We're lucky to have a place like this in Belleville,” she said, per the same bnd.com account.
Part of a Wider Pattern for Garden Centers
Sandy's Back Porch Gardens is not alone in facing a wind-down after years of serving its community. In Lincoln, Nebraska, Campbell's Nursery & Garden Center — a family-run operation for 115 years — announced it will close next summer as older members of the Campbell family prepare to retire, according to beatricedailysun.com. Andy Campbell, the fourth generation to carry on that family business, said the nursery plans to spend its final months collecting historical photographs, stories and memories from customers and former employees.
In Kansas City, Missouri, Heartland Nursery and Garden Center closed on June 30 after 54 years, with its owners putting the business, buildings and nearly 12 acres of property — including a 53,000-square-foot enclosed greenhouse — up for sale, according to gardencentermag.com. That business was founded in 1972 as Blue Ridge Gardens before rebranding in 2002.
