Business & Tech

Knupper's Kicks Off Spring With Flower Show

Business with deep Palatine roots offers seminars, special sales, door prizes and refreshments to event attendees.

Established in 1932, Knupper’s Nursery and Landscape is one of Palatine’s oldest businesses, and judging from the turnout for Saturday’s Spring Flower Show, business is good.

“In the growing season, I am here every week,” said Palatine resident Dora Moore. “The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable; the selection is wide and they sell good quality products.”

“Businesses like this are hard time find anymore,” Moore said.

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On Saturday hundreds turned out and enjoyed a number of free seminars. Educating and informing customers is a very important part of Knupper’s. For example, at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 2 Knupper, 1801 N. Rand Rd., will host “How to Grow a Great Lawn” and on April 9 there is “Top Ten Landscaping Basics.”

“We invite anyone to call us up with questions about gardening, most times we will have the answer, but if we don’t at that moment, we will find the answer for you,” said John Heaton, who has owned the business since 1968 along with his wife Sue.

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“We want to make gardening more fun and successful for our customers; sometimes if you’re having a problem, a small change can easily fix it and we are here with information to help you,” Sue Heaton said.                                                                              

Thousands of flowers, shrubs, bulbs, trees and plants are on display in the nursery, along with items some people may not be aware the nursery carries.

“We also carry bird houses, gazing globes, trellises, pots and statuary to name just a handful,” said Sue Heaton.

Knupper’s offers full landscape and new construction design services as well as assistance with smaller projects such as vegetable and herb gardens and everything in between.

“We don’t go anywhere else; even if you think you have a silly question, the people here are so friendly and they just want to help you learn,” said Arlington Heights resident Karen Nordstrom.

John and Sue Heaton said the business has evolved over the years. When Palatine was rapidly growing, landscaping basics were big sellers. Now there is a focus on decorative and design type products to make a home, a home.

“Now it’s more about enhancing, adding color and personalizing your home to make it prettier and softer," Sue Heaton said.

Knupper’s also has received some impressive accolades over the years.

In Today’s Garden Center, the trade publication for nurseries, Knupper’s was named in the Top Revolutionary 100 Garden Centers, and has been in that standing since 2007.

The nursery also has a rich and interesting history.

It started in 1932 as R.C. Knupper’s, and was owned by German immigrants Richard and Lucille Knupper.

Back then, the nursery was located near 1775 N. Rand Rd., which is the former location of Mendards and is where Wolff Flea Market operates.

When Richard Knupper died in 1968, current owner John Heaton left the United States Air Force to buy the business and has been running it with his wife Sue ever since.

On Dec. 24, 1990, a fire forced the Heatons to rebuild at its present location at 1801Rand Rd. And that is where the business has stood ever since.

“Come visit, walk around and see what the possibilities are,” said Sue Heaton.

For additional information, visit Knupper’s website at www.knuppernursery.com or call 847-359-1080.


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