Although it was barely 50 degrees on March 27, plant specialists were wearing t-shirts while tending to the lush plant life in the balmy 69 degree controlled climate of Schaefer Greenhouses in Montgomery.
Schaefer’s grows tropical indoor foliage, blooming plants, vegetables, premium annuals and hardy perennials all year to serve Montgomery, Aurora, Yorkville, Oswego and other surrounding towns. Schaefer’s is a family-owned business that has been in Montgomery since 1926.
Montgomery staff members visited Schaefer’s in March as part of the Village’s Business Boost business retention program. Manager Mary Ann Kutnick and Brett Schaefer, who has been in the plant business for 30 years, gave Planner Jerad Chipman and Assistant Village Administrator Jamie Ludovic a tour of Schaefer’s property.
“We are so proud to be a part of the Village of Montgomery,” said Kutnick. “This is a great place to be.”
Although some people mistake Schaefer’s for a wholesale vendor that only serves other businesses, Kutnick said she wants potential customers to know Schaefer’s is also a retailer open to the public.
“We serve customer needs of all sizes,” said Kutnick, who has been with the company for 45 years. “Whether you need a floral arrangement, a gift or flowers to fill an entire garden, Schaefer’s will be able to help.”
Schaefer’s greenhouses occupy 200,000 square feet of greenhouse space at the corner of Lake Street and Aucutt Road near the Village’s downtown. Some greenhouses used by Schaefer’s today were built as early as the 1940s – newer houses were built in 1997.
Today, third and fourth generation Schaefers continue to manage the business. Schaefer’s also maintains a full-service website for ordering arrangements, plants and gifts for all occasions; and can be found on Facebook.
For more information, call 630-896-1936 or visit Schaefer’s online at schaefergreenhouses.com.