Welcome to The Club v2.2 April 2022

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Welcome to ... THE Club Welcome to ... Don’t put this down! You’ll have to bend over to pick it back up! Kids’ Letters to God Mainframe QUALITY PICTURE FRAMING • Canvas Stretching • Object Framing such • Jersey Frames as War Medals and • Needlework Stretching Sports Memorabilia • Frame Repairs (the list is endless) • Glass Replacement • Plak-it also available 1249 London Rd, Sarnia • 519-383-7114 In Teppermans’s Plaza A Year Round Garden Centre, Gi Shop & Bouque! Annual SPRING Landscape Sale NEWLY EXPANDED 28,000 sq GIFT & GARDEN STORE and MAY 2-7 SAVE 15% 63,000 sq of GREENHOUSE *GRAND OPENING APRIL 30* Extraordinary selecon of Plants & Unique Decoraons & Poery for enhancing your indoor & outdoor living spaces. OPEN Monday to Saturday • Landscaping Materials • Retaining Wall Take Exit 15 off Hwy 402 • Interlocking Stone • Outdoor Fireplaces N Lake Huron Bright’s 3261 London Line (Rd. R . 22) Grove From Proud Member of... • Beach Pebble & River Rock • Flagstone 26 London 401 East of SARNIA • Large Decorative Boulders ...Much More! 22 USA Sarnia 519-542-8353 From SIPKENS Wallaceburg NURSERIES 1189 Confederation Street, Sarnia • 519-337-2334 • www.patene.com SIPKENS FAMILY ALL ABOUT GROWTH By Cathy Dobson “Years ago, I never would have said I’d get into hard goods or boutique stuff,” said Ken. “But that’s where the market is going.” The nursery business has changed dramatically since he and Jennifer started Sipkens Garden Centre 34 years ago. They found acreage on London Line near Wyoming where Jennifer grew up and had one small greenhouse that first year. Ken was working for another nursery at the time and with their know-how, work ethic and a sense that market The Sipkens family celebrate their 34th year in business demand was in perennials, the with the opening of a large retail addition. Sipkens found success. From left are: Brian, Alyssa, Ken and Jennifer Sipkens. Missing are Mark, Chris and Brad. The second year, Ken quit his other job and the couple devoted of (garden centre sales) is hard goods,” all their time to their new venture and said Ken. their five small children. “People are interested in staying home “We went into the business about the and they want to make their outdoor time that perennials like hostas, ferns and living space really nice,” said Jennifer, grasses were becoming popular,” said adding that’s there’s also been a recent Ken. “We saw that as an opportunity.” explosion in bird watching. That’s why Sipkens’ new addition is filled with a wide variety of hard goods like pottery, planters, bird houses, bird baths, and more. The new addition, which is adjacent to the garden centre’s boutique, makes room in the greenhouses for more plants. The addition is spacious, cheery and air-conditioned, all to attract more shoppers and make going to Sipkens more of an outing, said Jennifer. A refreshment counter and café Artist’s concept of the garden tables are set up just inside an archway centre’s new addition attaching the addition to the original boutique area. P A G E 30 Obsolete Task? Using a pay telephone SPRING 2022 If a business isn’t growing, it’s stagnating and slipping backwards, says Ken Sipkens. That’s why he and his family have built an enormous, 24,000-square-foot addition to their garden centre this spring and invested in extensive recycling and water reuse systems in recent years. “We reinvest on a regular basis,” Ken said. “A lot of mom and pop garden centres don’t do that and they are struggling. Here, we are always looking ahead and researching the newest trends.” When the pandemic hit, for instance, Sipkens immediately set up an online store that ultimately outstripped their prepandemic sales. “Every day during Covid, we had 60 to 70 carts full and ready for pickup or delivery. It was go, go, go, go,” said Ken’s wife Jennifer Sipkens. “The pandemic was good for business.” The Sipkens, who run their garden centre with their five children, Mark, Chris, Brian, Brad and Alyssa, make sure they know about industry trends around the world and apply the best ones to their own business. They have stayed on top of things by going on regular trips across the globe with the International Garden Centre Association. A trip to Windsor, England a few years ago convinced them that the sale of hard goods like pots, trellises, garden supplies and yard accessories was about to take off in North America. “If you go to Europe now, about 85% Dear God, Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that, or was it just an accident? - Norma Sarnia’s choice for over 40 years Today Sipkens grows at least 1,000 varieties of perennials. Their garden centre covers about 10 acres and employs 20 people year-round and 55 seasonal workers. On top of watching consumer trends and reinvesting, the Sipkens are also environmentally conscious and started an aggressive on-site recycling program eight years ago. About 90% of greenhouse plastic, cardboard, discarded pots and other waste produced by the business is recycled or composted. Four years ago, Sipkens began recycling the runoff from their greenhouses and irrigation by channelling the water into a reservoir of tanks, treating it and reusing it for plant growth. Ken estimates that his five kids run about 70% of the business these days but he and Jennifer remain very involved. “We keep very busy and it’s a challenging business,” she said. “But we enjoy this kind of life.” Sipkens Garden Centre at 3261 London Line plans a Grand Opening for the new addition Saturday, April 30; 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Please tell our advertisers that you saw their ad in this magazine! Welcome to ... THE Club A Father's Love Author Unknown Fathers seldom say “I Love You” Though the feeling's always there, But somehow those three little words Are the hardest ones to share. And fathers say "I love you" In ways that words can't match With tender bedtime stories Or a friendly game of catch! You can see the words "I love you" In a father's boyish eyeses When he runs home, all excited, With a poorly wrapped surprise. A father says "I love you" With his strong helping hands With a smile when you're in trouble With the way he understands. ds. He says "I love you" haltingly, ly With awkward tenderness (It's hard to help a four-year-old old into a party dress!) He speaks his love unselfishly By giving all l he can To make some secret dream come true, Or follow through a plan. A father's seldom-spoken love Sounds clearly through the years Sometimes in peals of laughter, Sometimes through happy tears. Perhaps they have to speak their love In a fashion all their own. Because the love that fathers feel Is too big for words alone! One Liners A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well. Do you live in the BOONIES? The CLUB is available at all Lambton County libraries (while they last)! SPRING 2022 Obsolete Task? Paying bills at post office or bank with paper bills/cheques. P A G E 31
Page 1 and 2: Welcome to ... THE A GUIDE TO BEING
Page 3 and 4: This FREE magazine is distributed i
Page 5 and 6: We’re all getting older, we may a
Page 7 and 8: Most articles in here have been wri
Page 9 and 10: Life is short. Smile while you stil
Page 11 and 12: Maybe we should stop it with the el
Page 13 and 14: As you may have guessed by now, it
Page 15 and 16: Putting the “old” back in “Da
Page 17 and 18: It’s the advertising that makes t
Page 19 and 20: Many of the articles are from the a
Page 21 and 22: You’re welcome to send in article
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Page 25 and 26: Please submit a photo of your loved
Page 27 and 28: Our next issue will come out around
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Welcome to The Club v2.2 April 2022

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