Gardener's Supply Company is an employee-owned company providing environmentally friendly gardening products and information through its website, catalogs, and retail stores. The Gardener’s Supply Company headquarters in

Burlington, Vermont Burlington, officially the City of Burlington, is the List of municipalities in Vermont, most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the county seat, seat of Chittenden County, Vermont, Chittenden County. It is located south of the Can ...

include administrative offices, a retail store and display gardens. Additional retail stores and display gardens are located in Williston, Vermont,

Lebanon, New Hampshire Lebanon ( ) is the only city in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 14,282 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 13,151 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census. Lebanon is in western New Hampshi ...

, Greenland, New Hampshire and

Hadley, Massachusetts Hadley (, ) is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,325 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around the Hampshire and Mountain Farms ...

. In 2014, Gardener's Supply Company became B Corp-certified. On June 20, 2025, Gardener's Supply Company filed for

Chapter 11 bankruptcy Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, w ...

in Delaware, listing assets between $1 million to $10 million and liabilities between $10 million and $50 million.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan

In December 2009, founder Will Raap sold the majority ownership of Gardener’s Supply Company to its employees, officially making the company 100% employee-owned through its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The ESOP was adopted in 1987 to allow all employees to earn stock and share in company profits. Current CEO Jim Feinson said the employee-owned company has also developed "a community culture of support" that offers benefits and flexibility to its employees, including encouraging them to make their own schedules.

Founder, Will Raap

In 1983, his interest in food systems led gardener and businessman Will Raap to co-found Gardener's Supply with co-founder Alan Newman. He moved his company to five acres at the entrance to the Intervale, 350 acres of neglected land located in Burlington, Vermont, in 1985. Raap also helped found the non-profit Intervale Center in 1988. As of 2014 it is home to several sustainable businesses in addition to Gardener's Supply Company, including food and flower farms, a café and a market. Raap passed away in 2022.

Community Involvement and Support

Gardener's Supply Company donates 8% of pre-tax profits to gardening-related community programs and organizations. Organizations supported by Gardener’s Supply include the

American Community Gardening Association The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) is a non-profit organization of volunteers, professionals and member-organizations working in support of community greening in rural and urban areas across Canada and the United States. ACGA an ...

(ACGA), the Green Education Foundation (GEF) and AmpleHarvest.org. The company established the Garden Crusader Awards to honor individuals who improve their communities through gardening. Gardener's Supply Company is a Champion Member of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), a non-profit trade organization that advances business ethics through education, public influence and workplace quality.

References

External links

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Green Education Foundation
* {{Authority control Companies based in Burlington, Vermont Employee-owned companies of the United States B Lab-certified corporations Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2025