Business Profile: Earl May Nursery and Garden Center

When Linda Schafer bought a new house in Waukee, sprucing up her yard was one of the first things on her to-do list.

Schafer headed straight to Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in Waukee to buy trees and shrubs.

“I think they’ve got a really good reputation for selling healthy plants,” Schafer said as she and her son, Brendan, 14, browsed through the trees for sale at Earl May recently.

The Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in Waukee has been a fixture in the community since opening in April of 2004. The family-owned business, which is based in Shenandoah, Iowa, has 32 stores, mostly located in Iowa, with a smattering of stores in Nebraska and Missouri.

Assistant manager Heather McKinney, who’s been with the company for 18 years, said that Earl May’s customer service is what sets the store apart from other lawn and garden stores. Featuring a lineup of lawn care products that are tailored to the Midwest’s unique climate, McKinney said that the expertise her employees have makes a difference.

“We want to go above and beyond what (customers) expect,” McKinney said.

Jeff Hayes of Urbandale dropped into the store looking for a way to get rid of moles that have been tunneling through his yard. Hayes said he shops at Earl May because he trusts the employees and he’s had good luck with the products they’ve recommended in the past.

“I’ve never been given the wrong advice here before,” Hays said. “It’s convenient, close, and the staff is knowledgeable.”

McKinney said she believes Earl May has been successful because employees work hard to find unique solutions for unique customers. Nursery stock, bedding plants, and chemical and natural solutions are their bread and butter, but they offer a variety of gifts and patio furniture, as well.

“We tailor to each individual’s needs and wants,” McKinney said. “We also do a lot of landscape consultations, and help people get ideas for their yards.”

McKinney, who started working at Earl May while she was still in school, said she relishes the chance to help customers who walk in the door with questions they can’t answer. She pushes herself to learn at least one new thing every day, and find a way to pass that knowledge on to her employees and customers.   

“It’s fulfilled everything that I was looking for in a company,” McKinney said. “In terms of how we help people, we’re not just putting a patch on the problem, we’re fixing it.”

On Oct. 8 the Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in Waukee will host its annual Pumpkin Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the store, located at 1530 S.E. Blackthorne Drive in Waukee.

The event will feature activities for kids, including face painting, a chalk garden, tattoos, and a straw maze. Food will be served by the Lions Club, and families will have an opportunity to decorate freshly purchased pumpkins from the store. Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras, as there will be plenty of photo opportunities throughout the day.