How Urban Roots Came to Be

In the winter of 2005, a group of people living on Buffalo’s West Side got together to brainstorm around the idea of developing a cooperative garden center in our neighborhood. We were tired of driving 20 minutes to the suburbs to buy our plants and garden accessories, and at the same time recognized the opportunity for building a business in this up and coming neighborhood 5 minutes from any yard on Garden Walk Buffalo (over 200 future customers). This original group grew out of planning and revitalization efforts of the West Side Community Collaborative.

In 2005 we started offering “plant swaps,” polled area residents, collected surveys, and scouted possible garden center locations. The name Urban Roots came out of an early meeting, and evolved into Urban Roots Community Garden Center as we continued shaping our vision.

More than 300 surveys gathered at key locations like the Bidwell Market and Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts supported the idea of a garden center and gave information on types of products and services desired by potential customers, frequency of patronage and average amount spent annually on garden center products. The response was resoundingly supportive. The surveys also indicated interest in a cooperative business model that would offer membership benefits, contribute to economic development within the city and offer additional jobs, educational opportunities and collaboration between local growers and producers.

Informational meetings were held throughout the spring and summer of 2005 inviting public discussion of organizational structure, location, types of products and services to be offered. Each meeting was well attended with positive feedback and proof of strong support for the project. Based on the shared vision of an enterprise that would not only supply a retail niche not available on the West Side, but provide economic opportunity to local residents, and capitalize on the increasing commercial activity and escalating property values to the east of Richmond Avenue, which are now moving further into the west side, the group studied the advantages and disadvantages of forming a for profit, not-for-profit or a cooperative business model. A formal vote was held at the final informational meeting in September 2005 to confirm that a steering committee would be formed to move forward with cooperative business model.

In 2006 we held our first plant and bulb sales featuring organically raised heirloom tomato seedlings, as well as carefully selected herbs, perennials, and annuals. A detailed market study and business plan proved that a garden center on Buffalo’s West side promised great success.