Local stores offer special shopping experience
Massachusetts—With no department stores or malls in town, it could be easy to develop an automatic route down the highway when you have shopping to be done. That would mean missing out on great shopping experiences closer to home, though — and according to the voters in the Favorites poll, there are some very special stores tucked away in Middleboro and Lakeville.
One such place is Spillane’s Nursery and Landscape Company at 230 Bedford Street in Middleboro, where the stock is always fresh and the staff knowledgeable and willing to help. Spillanes was selected as the number one favorite garden supply store.
Manager Bill Murray explained that in addition to the greenhouses on site, the company also has a 50-acre nursery right down the street to get plants from. He believes their prices are competitive with Lowes and Home Depot on chemicals and fertilizers, but adds that the staff’s knowledge outweighs any difference in plant pricing.
“People come in with problems, and our staff can help them. We try to stay abreast of the pest problems in the area so when people come in with issues, we have answers for them,” he said. “When people ask for suggestions, we can answer them honestly. For instance, if they ask about a certain plant and they’re talking about shade, we can tell them if that plant won’t do well there, whereas somewhere else they may say, ‘sure, you can put it in shade’ because they don’t really care”¦I would rather educate a customer and have them happier that way. It’s not always about the sale — we want them to come back.”
In addition to information for the do-it-yourselfer, customers can also get more in-depth help in the form of a full scale landscaping crew. Mr. Murray noted that the landscaping company has been responsible for the grounds exclusive properties such as Black Rock Country Club in Hingham and Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth.
Mr. Murray noted that the greenhouse is open year round, and sees a number of people come in to browse during the winter months as a way to alleviate their cabin fever. In addition to plants and shrubs, the greenhouse offers statuaries, giftware, and other items for gardening buffs.
