Jacob Jones, a seasonal employee of Plant Warehouse Albany, was setting up the venture’s big tent on Wednesday afternoon.
Plant Warehouse Albany found a new venue for its seasonal operation after being thwarted from opening last week in the parking lot of Heritage Plaza, off 14th Avenue.
The springtime garden center plans to open Saturday in the parking lot of the former west Albany Safeway, by the side of the Santiam Canal at the corner of Pacific Boulevard and Calapooia Street.
The setup is the work of the Tangent branch of Plant Warehouse, which is based in Roseburg. The Albany outlet plans to operate in the Pacific Boulevard location until July.
On Wednesday Plant Warehouse applied for a city land use permit. It had operated in the same Pacific Boulevard location in the past.
The company’s inability to open last week, as planned, in front of Grocery Outlet in the Heritage Plaza caused a stir on Facebook, with people wondering about the reason.
The plaza has several other businesses besides Grocery Outlet, and as I understand it somebody challenged Grocery Outlet’s right to let anyone else use the parking lot by subleasing it.
There apparently are no such complications in the old Safeway lot. The property is owned by the Kampfer family, of Harrisburg.
The building was constructed in 1966 for Safeway, which used it until 1999. Now it has been leased by Teen Challenge, which will move its Albany thrift store there from Second Avenue.
In the meantime, the parking lot will have plants for sale this spring. (hh)
Thank you for posting, Hasso. We’ve always frequented their fine business. I think the old Safeway is a better location anyway.
By That’s a huge parking lot. Definitely room to share space!
I also buy my plants there, I like the old Safeway parking lot better also. Thanks for the information.
I was wondering what happened… I saw them setting up and when I drove by yesterday they were gone. They have been in other places in the past including across 14th near Hobby Lobby. As a member of Albany’s now defunct garden club we toured their growing greenhouses years ago.
Thank you for the info. I have purchased plants from them for many years and was wondering when they would open. Location is great for me as it’s closer to where I live.
Thanks for the info, Hasso.
I love the flowers r great, don’t forget about the veggies too
H H thanks for the information. You are still the best at news,