SEATTLE — The beloved nursery, City People’s Garden Store had its final day on Sunday after operating for 35 years in Seattle’s Madison Valley neighborhood.
"It's home this space and place, has kind of become home," said Alison Greene the owner of City People's Garden Store. The store has been considered a home for many in the neighborhood for more than three decades.
"People kind of keep saying where I am going to get my spring veggies, where am I going to shop, where am I going to go,” said Greene. “There are lots of other garden stores around here and I'm sure they will find their way. We don't know where we're going to shop either."
KING 5’s Brady Wakayama spoke with Greene last September when her business was expected to close by the end of the year. She was able to extend the lease for a couple of months. But after years of delays, the development company that purchased the property the garden store leases back in 2016 is finally planning to move forward with its original plans of building a mixed-use development of apartments and retail space.
"It's still tough," said Greene. "We did know, this was never really supposed to happen for us to remain at this site."
Not only is it tough for Greene and her staff. Customers are heartbroken by the closure as well.
"We've been coming for probably once a week just grabbing the last of the little things that we can and it’s sad," said frequent customer John Koblinsky. "We'll certainly miss it and not sure where we'll go from here."
Greene appreciates the love and support from the community over the years, as she continues to work to keep this business alive.
"We want to move this legacy forward, we want to take this garden, the space and the place and the energy that's here, we want to package that with us and take it with us and find a new place and have it be much the same," Greene said.