Smith Bros. a True Family Business in New Lenox

Situated along the historic Lincoln Highway for close to three decades, Dan Smith of the has seen a lot of change in New Lenox. 

"I’ve had this same view of Route 30 since the days it was just corn. It was all farms," Smith said.

He's seen new homes come into town, and that meant new clients—people who wanted to care for their lawns and lots more. And just as New Lenox has grown, so has Smith Brothers.

“We started as a garden center and we’ve grown from there," Smith said.

His father and uncle opened the first business in Tinley Park, and eventually Smith took over the day-to-day operations. The full-service lawn and garden care business provides landscaping services for residential and commercial properties, but it recently introduced Elemental Landscape into the equation.

Now, Smith Brothers also designs and installs pools. Looking across the street as big box stores like Lowes have gone up, Smith takes pride in the things he can offer with his small business. 

"We deliver all day, every day for homeowners," he said. "Things the big box stores don’t do. Mulch, stone, propane filling is big for us. It’s amazing how much propane this town uses."

Although the growth has slowed in town, Smith said people are still looking to improve their existing homes. 

“People have a different mindset," he said. "People aren’t looking to bounce into another house any more. They are staying and doing a lot more outdoor living space."

As it says in the name, Smith Brothers Garden Center started as a true family affair, and remains that way. Smith's sister does the bookkeeping, and his nephew also works at the store. Growing up around the business in Tinley Park, Smith said he loved working with the machinery and "playing in the dirt."

"I love the outdoors," he said. "You’d be hard-pressed to get me to stand behind a desk."