Plow & Hearth expands by taking a big picture view of its target audience
Many home improvements come out of a basic need. The lawn didn't weather a tough winter? Reseed. The toilet leaks? Call a plumber. Mother-in-law moving in? Head for the hills—or, if there's no time to run, turn the den into a bedroom.
Home and garden retailer/cataloger Plow & Hearth was born during a time many Americans had a major need: to cut down on their home heating costs during the energy crisis of the early 1980s.
Starting with a small retail store in 1980 (dubbed the "Hippie Hardware Store" by Madison, WV locals) and then a catalog in 1981, the company offered wood stoves, as well as rototillers, canning equipment, bulk garden seeds, books, and garden tools.
Today, Plow & Hearth is a subsidiary of 1-800-Flowers and a $120 million-plus business, with seven outlet and retail stores and sister catalogs such as Problem Solvers and Home.
Founder Peter Rice, who received a lifetime achievement award from the New England Mail Order Association earlier this month, noted that one way his company grew in the mid-1990s was not to vary wildly from its core product line but rather see how it could be complimented.
"Look at what you do in a different way to see how it can lead you into the next level," he said.
Plow & Hearth was marketing products that were very functional for the home and garden. Rice knew there were other categories that would fit into the concept and make sense.
One niche was shoes like Dansko clogs and UGG boots. Another was apparel like Irish flannel pajamas and nightshirts. And food items like locally grown Virginia peanuts also became a big seller.
Even though he recently retired (if you can call taking an interim president post with sister company The Winetasting Network retirement), Rice still has a zeal for both retailing and the environment. Aside from his business accomplishments, his ecological efforts have made a lasting impact on the environment as well.
Since 1991, the company has planted two seedlings for every tree used in catalog production. So far, over 1,900 acres of trees have been planted in the Culpeper Soil and Conservation District in central Virginia. Later this year, Plow & Hearth will celebrate the planting of its one-millionth tree.
