BETTER FOOD AND GARDENS.

Beautiful lawns are back in style. Still, we were surprised at how many of our shoppers expressed strong interest in garden stores and supplies.

The interest directly reflects double digit increases in lawn and garden sales for two years in a row (to $30 billion last year) and indirectly reflects growing interest in growing things and experiencing the outdoors. Enjoying out-door living has always been important but seems even more important in these closing months of the century - and a good thing to do better in the next one. Consumers ratings of what's out there were