Today we’d like to introduce you to John Cox
Hi John, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m unsure “my story” can be briefly summed. My path to container gardening and importing Italian terra cotta as a vocation had several early detours. As a senior at Georgia Tech, I bought a historic single screen “palace style” movie theatre in my hometown. My primary interest was in preserving the art deco style building and operating the theatre was a means to that end. As well, I opened a small cafe serving lunch in part of the theatre building. I dedicated the decade of my twenties to those businesses. The theatre remains the only theatre on a downtown square in the state of Georgia still operating as a movie theatre. Building saved….mission accomplished!
Having passed on the opportunity to pursue a professional degree after Tech, I entertained the idea again after selling the theatre. Ultimately deciding I did not want to be a doctor or lawyer, I had a brief foray into corporate America. I soon learned the confines of a cubicle, the monotony of the 9-5 grind and the petty politics of the corporate world were not for me.
I wanted a job that I truly enjoyed. Having gardened with my paternal grandmother and hiked the Appalachian Trail with an astute naturalist in my youth, I knew I would enjoy work that included being outdoors and growing plants.
Container gardening had been on the rise for a number of years, and I decided that was the easiest way to start my new business in the green industry without a huge capital investment. Early on, I was fortunate to be referred to a couple of clients in the Buckhead community of Atlanta. Through word of mouth, my business continued to grow. Clients began to ask me to design and install garden beds, courtyard gardens and foundation plantings.
We often required new garden pots and containers, and I found myself increasingly drawn to the beauty of hand molded Italian terra cotta. The mineral content of the soil in the Tuscan region creates a clay that has a rosy hue and ages beautifully. As it is hand molded, interesting shapes and sizes abound. I loved and continue to love using Italian terra cotta on projects.
In early 2006, a good friend with knowledge of Italian terra cotta and the import business, set me up with an Italian imports broker visiting Atlanta. Through this meeting, I was able to get started importing hand molded and hand turned Italian terra cotta. We continue to work with some of the first artisans I met in Italy years ago. These guys are dedicated to their craft and now produce several bespoke designs just for John’s Garden Company.
The year 2006 also coincided with the Southern Living Magazine Idea House on Daniel Island in Charleston. We designed and installed thirty plus containers for the project and completed the design and installation of the home’s parterres and courtyard garden. In August 2006, one of our large Italian terra cotta mad hatter style pots filled with a medley of tropical foliage and flowers graced the magazine’s cover. Customers from around the Southeast started calling for our product.
Today, we are importing more Italian terra cotta to port in Charleston than ever. Our next container is scheduled to arrive in late July and will include over 1000 pots. We currently do not have a retail storefront, but our product may be seen and ordered on our website or viewed in person at our warehouse on Daniel Island. We offer delivery to customers in Charleston and Atlanta.
In addition to Italian terra cotta, we offer seasonal topiaries, garden inspired glass ornaments and a collection of framed hand colored antique prints including original Audubons. We plan to grow our nature inspired collections into a lifestyle brand of products that may be enjoyed for generations.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We will celebrate our twenty fifth anniversary in business this fall. I have personally planted over ten thousand container gardens. That’s a lot of pot therapy!
Sure, we have endured ups and downs through the years including the financial crisis of 2008 when demand suffered and the devastating pandemic when supply suffered. Both were difficult times, but a solid loyal customer base saw us through.
I believe the most important aspect of any business is developing a strong positive customer relationship. I can have a great product or service; but without a good customer, the product or service is worthless. A strong customer relationship has been key to growing our business. A happy customer is generally a loyal customer. I find brand loyalty is priceless.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
While the name John’s Garden Company is simplistically eponymous, there is a little deeper meaning that I’d like to share. My Grandmother Cox “gave” me a patch of land on her property to garden when I was eight or nine years old. She worked it with me until my teenage years, but she continued to refer to that area as “John’s garden” for the rest of her life. She was fortunate to live into her 96th year and enjoyed working her flower and vegetable gardens into her early nineties. The name is a tribute to her.
Coincidentally, my initials are JGC….John’s Garden Company really was a no brainer.
We still have clients from the first years I started container gardening in Atlanta. Many have moved several times or added second homes, and they continue to want our products and services. We have second generations of families as customers. They have been supportive and loyal beyond measure, and I could not have grown the business without them.
I believe our talent, quality products and commitment to customer service set us apart. I want the customer that buys an 8” pot for a small topiary to be as happy as the customer that buys a 40” olive jar for a large citrus tree. We appreciate the value of every customer.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Reading the tea leaves of business often can be difficult with so many outside forces at play in today’s global marketplace. In 2019, I would not have believed a pandemic would wreak all matter of havoc on the world the next year.
I trust increased appreciation for quality hand made goods over mass produced machine made goods will continue to drive sales. I’ve always believed in buying the best I could afford and keeping it as opposed to buying the cheapest products and continuously disposing of them. Admittedly I am biased, but hand crafted Italian terra cotta is the best there is.
E-commerce and sales through social media channels continue to grow for us. I enjoy the convenience of online shopping but dislike the impersonal nature of online sales. I try to personalize these sales with a note to customers enclosed with each shipment.
Pricing:
- hand turned Italian terra cotta pots from $20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.johnsgardenco.com
