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NWO Business Spotlight: August 13, 2004
Love what you do and do what you love. As the new owners of Oak Ridge Shrubbery and Landscape, Inc., Craig and Cindy Wagoner have taken that old adage to heart. Both have a passion for the outdoors, plants and beautiful landscaping and they thoroughly enjoy sharing that passion with others. Taking over this local business has given them an ideal way to meet their needs and the needs of their growing customer base.
Craig’s interest in plants and landscaping goes back to 1983. Back then, as a young business major at UNC-Greensboro, Craig started his own landscaping business. The business was successful and continued to grow, but after 17 years Craig felt he wanted to do something different. So, he went into long term care planning. While he enjoyed it, his heart was elsewhere. “Gardening and landscaping are what he loves to do,” says Cindy of her boyish looking husband. “When he was talking with someone about long term care, the conversation usually turned to plants.”
Finally after three years, Craig and Cindy decided to return to the landscaping business and purchased Oak Ridge Shrubbery just a little more than five months ago. The transformation of the business in those few months has been remarkable. These days the outdoor areas are filled with healthy and unique trees and plants. The Wagoners have brought in quite a few hard-to-find specimens. For instance, there’s the ever-expanding collection of Japanese maples and the ample variety of unusual conifers. Because stonework is such a big part of their business, they have also added to their offerings in that area. “We have a lot of stones that you won’t find anywhere else around here,” says Craig.
Increased selection is only one of the things you’ll find throughout the grounds. The couple has taken the time to add landscaping features throughout. Rock walls encase attractive raised gardens and massive fountains are tucked away in the foliage. A pond, which features a cascading waterfall, is currently under construction. Along with beautifying the surroundings, these additions also show customers the quality of work they can expect from Oak Ridge Shrubbery.
Speaking of quality, that’s a vital concern for both Cindy and Craig. “When we took over this business, Cindy and I made a commitment to each other that we focus totally on quality, particularly quality service and product,” relates Craig. “That’s the bedrock of our business.”
The two are very serious about this commitment. As far as product goes, that sometimes means rejecting a tractor-trailer load of pine needles that doesn’t quite meet their standards. It also means finding the perfect supplier of topsoil, a person that Craig refers to as “the dirt doctor.” Because soil preparation is so important to the health of any tree or plant, Craig will settle for nothing but the best. And that’s what he offers his customers.
Along with high quality products, Oak Ridge Shrubbery also prides itself on service. “We’re working hard at providing excellent customer service,” confirms Cindy. “We work with people at any level from helping them select their plants to designing and installing an entire backyard. Whatever the need, we provide each person with individualized attention.”
Both Cindy and Craig emphasize that they want people to enjoy their visit. They, along with the entire staff at Oak Ridge Shrubbery, are happy to take the time to talk to people about their plants and gardens. Not only do they educate people about the selection and care of plants, but they also enjoy learning from their customers. Craig recalls one customer who has 60 different types of Japanese maples and another who grows over 1,000 different varieties of Hosta. He values the knowledge he gains from these encounters.
Cindy and Craig live in Summerfield with their two children, Mason, 14 and Colét, 13. Their house sits on a five-acre lot that they are slowly transforming into what Cindy refers to as a park. Along with helping out with the business, Cindy has a full-time position with Farr and Associates where she works in leadership development. |
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