Stodels Bellville won the Garden Centre of the Year award, presented to it at a recent ceremony. Picture: Screenshot/Facebook
This article first appeared in the 27 June 2022 edition of the Cape Argus newspaper.
Cape Town - Stodels Bellville won the Garden Centre of the Year award, presented to it at a recent ceremony.
Three Cape Town-based Stodels centres were nominated in the top 10 garden centres in the country, according to the Garden Centre Association of South Africa.
The awards returned after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, with criteria based on previous achievements by respective stores in the years before the pandemic.
The stores were chosen this year to be evaluated for Best in the Western Cape and possibly best in the country.
According to the Garden Centre Association, there are more than 150 recognised independent garden centres and home stores in South Africa.
Alongside winners Stodels Bellville, the other two nominated stores were Stodels Milnerton and Stodels Somerset West. The stores are judged by members of the SA Nursery Association and the scores they provide after conducting an audit determines the top garden centres.
Aisha Arnold, branch manager at Stodels Bellville, said the store had never won an award before and winning the award was a reflection of all their hard work.
“Stodels Bellville is our flagship store and over the last two years, this store has made a lot of changes. The store is managed largely by a female team and we feel that this influence has made a big difference.
“We have put a lot of time and focus on understanding what our customers need and how to provide those needs in an easier way. Stodels Bellville has always been very innovative as a team and we are excited that our hard work has paid off,” she said.
Arnold acknowledged the efforts of her team. The team is made up largely of people who are “cautiously unskilled” and who come from disadvantaged communities.
She said a lot of the store’s displays were due to their creativity and that their contribution to winning the award deserved recognition.
matthew.petersen@inl.co.za
Related Topics: