New Garden Center in Connecticut Holds Grand Opening Today

Van Wilgen’s Garden Center is reopening in Southington, bringing a fresh, expanded garden shopping experience to the Queen Street corridor. There’s a grand opening ceremony on March 19 at noon for the new location at 1198 Queen Street.

The team’s been working on revitalizing the former Smithland Pet & Garden Center/Agway site. Gardeners and shoppers from all over Connecticut can look forward to new offerings, jobs, and a bigger community impact as the region gets a year-round horticultural hub.

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Southington’s Queen Street garden destination reimagined

The Southington store isn’t just reopening—it’s been seriously renovated. They’ve turned a longtime community retail spot into a modern garden center that’s ready to serve folks from all over central Connecticut.

There’ll be a ribbon-cutting at the March 19 event. State and local officials plan to give remarks, and you’ll get a chance to tour both the indoor and outdoor renovations and check out the new product displays.

Another grand opening is set for April 11–12. That’ll keep the celebration going and welcome even more people to this Queen Street landmark.

What Van Wilgen’s offers in Southington

The Southington store features Van Wilgen’s signature mix of garden goods and seasonal merchandise. They’ve got stuff for both casual gardeners and landscape professionals.

Shoppers can expect:

High-quality plants for home gardens, containers, and landscape projects
Gardening essentials like soils, fertilizers, tools, and pest management
Landscaping supplies such as mulch, stone, edging, and irrigation products
Seasonal merchandise for year-round gardening, from spring bulbs to fall décor

Management says the new location fills a regional need for year-round horticultural and landscape products. Connecticut residents can now get everything they need in one place—whether they’re tending a backyard plot in Cheshire or working on a commercial project in Hartford County.

Economic impact and community momentum

The Southington expansion should create about 25 jobs, which is great news for the local economy. Folks from nearby towns looking for steady work have a new option.

Several former employees from the previous operation have joined the new team. That brings some welcome continuity and product know-how, and it helps keep longtime customers feeling at home.

Van Wilgen’s is strengthening its network of Connecticut garden centers. Shoppers from towns like Bristol, Waterbury, Meriden, and New Britain already visit, and the project gives a boost to the broader mid-state economy.

The Queen Street location is set up to serve a wide range of Connecticut communities, including Manchester, Cheshire, Plainville, Glastonbury, Windsor, and Wethersfield. This expansion taps into Connecticut’s growing demand for garden and landscape retail.

Homeowners, school groups, and local landscapers will all benefit from steady, year-round access to quality products.

Opening events and long-term vision

Van Wilgen’s is kicking things off with a March 19 noon ribbon-cutting. They’re also planning a grand opening weekend on April 11–12 to show off the renovated space, both inside and out.

Visitors can join guided store walkthroughs and check out product displays. Staff will be around to chat about plant selection, seasonal planting calendars, and landscape design ideas—whether you’re sprucing up a yard in West Hartford or wandering the historic streets of Danbury.

This Southington spot isn’t just another retail expansion. It aims to restore a major garden and landscape destination along the Queen Street corridor and shows real investment in Connecticut’s horticultural economy.

If you’re in Hartford, Meriden, or anywhere nearby, Van Wilgen’s Southington is shaping up to be a handy, year-round source for plants, supplies, and advice. Connecticut gardens could use a place like this, honestly—it might just help keep things blooming through every season.

Here is the source article for this story: A new garden center is coming to a CT town. Its grand opening is today

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