FARMINGTON – Garrett Reynolds hadn’t planned on pursuing business ownership at the age of 18.
“My dad sort of discouraged it at first,” Garrett said.
Garrett’s dad, Kurt Reynolds, bought Riverside Greenhouses in 1986. He was in his early twenties, and couldn’t believe he was making money off of doing something he loved. He was only making $1.75 an hour, but the paycheck felt meaningful. As he and his wife began raising their children they put them to work watering plants and deadheading flowers.
“It’s a seven day a week job. Plants don’t care if it’s Sunday,” Kurt said.
If a heater breaks down, he has roughly an hour to fix it before his plants freeze and he loses his entire inventory, he said.
Garrett is fully aware of the task he’s about to take on, but like his father, he enjoys the work. Last year Garrett was on track to study business finance at Thomas College. When COVID-19 hit, and students were sent home indefinitely, Garrett decided it was a good time to switch tracks.
“With college you get a degree, and something to fall back on. But with this I have to be all in,” he said.
Riverside just had their best season yet, Kurt said. With many people home due to COVID, and an uptick in yard projects, the greenhouses were busy. This year they plan to add Christmas trees, shrubs and bushes. Kurt said he’ll stick around for a while to show his son the ropes before officially handing over the business.
