Blooming in Brandon
A career blooms from a love of gardening
After Bernie Whetter left his management position at Wheat City Seeds in 2005, he found himself at a crossroads. Not knowing how to proceed, Whetter asked himself, “What do I like doing?” and decided to take a summer job selling plants and trees at The Green Spot.
Fourteen years later, Whetter is doing what he loves full time, as the proprietor of the 12,500 square foot garden centre, which combines production greenhouses and retail space.
The path from casual help to owner of The Green Spot wasn’t a direct one. The former owner of the garden centre, Dick Vreeman, tried to entice Whetter to take over the business after that first summer. But Whetter still had one dream to follow first though, so he relocated to Winnipeg to complete a Masters in Business Administration degree.
“It gave me a lot of confidence,” says Whetter. Armed with his new skills, he took the reins of the garden supply and landscaping business in 2007.
A visit to The Green Spot on its 10-acre parcel of land at the east end of Rosser Avenue, reveals why it’s easy to see the appeal for Whetter. Not only is it surrounded by plants, trees, and garden supplies, but there’s even a Koi pond and a cage full of exotic birds.
Whetter says that there was a definite learning curve to running a garden centre but he felt fortunate that many of the original staff stayed on to help with the transition. He believes in giving customers great service, providing them with excellent products and putting on regular events to keep things fun.
Whetter hosts a Spend a Day in the Tropics event, where sand is trucked in to simulate the beach, and tropical refreshments are offered along with deals on tropical plants. Upcoming events include a tool-sharpening day, where Whetter will personally sharpen all types of tools for customers, and a fashion show featuring clothing from the centre’s retail space.
All Photos by Kristhine Guerrero
