This year marks our 75 years in the gardening industry! It all began in 1948 with a humble fruit stand and has grown into four retail locations, three farms, and e-commerce. Founders Al and Ann Bigej began selling fruit and produce to residents and tourists traveling along the highway. Their middle son, Jack Bigej, expanded the business to include nursery stock in 1970. From that point on, there was no looking back. Jack recruited his four children into the business. As the nursery business grew, Jack expanded and diversified their inventory, built greenhouses, and opened their first store in Woodburn in the early 1980s.
In 1996, the greenhouse operations were moved to “The Farm” in Hubbard, Oregon. Soon after, the Gresham location was purchased to accommodate more greenhouses. A production nursery was added outside Mt. Angel, Oregon enabling Al’s Garden & Home to grow trees and shrubs. Nearly 85% of that inventory is sold in all four locations. The Gresham store was built on the property in 2004. The state-of-the-art Sherwood store opened in 2005. The expansion continued into Wilsonville in 2017.
Al’s Garden & Home produces almost 100% of the inventory we sell to date. During the peak seasons, plants are delivered daily from our growing facilities, ensuring the highest quality is delivered to the customers. Al’s dream has evolved into a fourth-generation family-owned business. The company employs more than 200 staff throughout all lines of the business. Al Bigej’s legacy continues with Jack and his children, Darcy, Mark, and Dorothy. The fourth generation has entered the business, adding more green thumbs to hard-working hands of the Bigej family. Al and Ann would be so proud four generations have nurtured the seeds they planted and expanded the business to what it is today.
We will be celebrating our 75th anniversary all year long. Make sure you stay in the know by visiting our stores, the website, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We have many exciting promotions, events, and vintage marketing prepared. We appreciate the three-quarters of a century of community support. We can’t wait to show our gratitude and celebrate this milestone in 2023!
I’m very proud to be part of this amazing family. My Aunt Beth Bigej & my father, Dick Bigej introduced me to great Aunt Ann & great Uncle Al many years ago. Keep up the wonderful work which has become our heritage.❤️
Congratulations dear Al’s Garden & Home 75 years of cultivating deep roots in Oregon. For many years I have appreciated mom finding amazingly good quality gardening plants from Al’s. Keep up the good work.❤️🌟🙏🌹
Congratulations on 75 years of growing in every sense of the word. We shop at the Gresham store. Staff is always so helpful, and we really appreciate that. The plants are healthy, the sales are good, the rewards program rewards our loyalty as customers and the kids’ program was so fun when I brought grandkids out for them. Thank you.
I moved to Oregon 2 years ago and everyone I met suggested Al’s as the place to go. I have bought many plants etc during this time along with gifts from the shop. I’m impressed with the friendliness, knowledge and helpfulness of the staff. It is so nice to know that this has remained a family owned business. Congratulations on 75 years.
My parents moved from California to Woodburn in 1954. They bought a small farm on Boones Ferry Rd. north of town. When my husband and I came to visit them shortly after, they couldn’t wait to take us to the small vegetable stand on the Pacific Hwy in town. We were duly impressed with the variety of fruits and vegetables available.
In 1964 and four children later, we moved to 10 acres in Hubbard for a better place to raise those kids and to be near family. On that HUGE property I began to learn how to garden and became a faithful customer of Al’s. In 1968 we purchased 62 acres in Independence, but I still drove to Woodburn for landscaping plants, and I still do to this day.
Thank you Al’s for all those years helping me grow in gardening knowledge. Congratulations on 75 years and wishing you many more.
Erla
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