Stockmen?Äôs Greenhouse & Landscaping in Litchfield has new owners. Tracy Droessler and Jim Ducker purchased the business in January. The previous owners, Fred and Marilyn Rau, owned Stockmen?Äôs for 26 years and they have been amazing during the transition, Tracy and Jim said; the Raus have gone above and beyond when it came to handing over the reins. There are a lot of little details one doesn?Äôt think about when purchasing a business, like what switch turns on what light, or how the telephone system works. The Raus have been more than accommodating when it comes to offering their assistance. Jim said the Raus got them ready for success.
Tracy grew up in Dubuque, Iowa, and worked in a greenhouse when she was 16. She has wanted a greenhouse of her own ever since. After college, Tracy became an accountant and lived in the Twin Cities.
Jim grew up in Webster, S.D., and worked on a farm as a youth. He also was an accountant and worked for an agricultural firm in the Twin Cities.
Tracy Droessler and Jim Ducker purchased Stockmen?Äôs Greenhouse & Landscaping in Litchfield this past January and are ready for this year?Äôs season, starting with an open house this weekend. Staff photo by Jayne Harff.
Jim said that Tracy spent a fair amount of time looking for just the right greenhouse. When they found Stockmen?Äôs in Litchfield online, they thought it would be worth a look, but that?Äôs all. They were tired of corporate America, and they knew they didn?Äôt want to be part of a chain, but they weren?Äôt ready yet to buy; they were just looking. After spending a few hours with Fred and Marilyn, they decided that Stockmen?Äôs was right for them, so they bought the greenhouse and moved to Litchfield.
The past few months have been a flurry of activity with starting a new business, moving, learning the business, hiring, and so on. Although they both felt they could handle the business side of things, learning about greenhouses and landscaping will take some time. They have had some challenges but feel like it?Äôs been pretty smooth sailing getting things going. They credit this to many of the employees who have returned to Stockmen?Äôs to work with the new owners. Without their assistance Tracy and Jim feel they could not have gotten this far this fast. Jim said it?Äôs been a process of layering the knowledge passed on by the Raus, the employees, and their own research.
Tracy and Jim now have 18 part-time, seasonal employees. Many of the employees had worked for the Raus. One has been at Stockmen?Äôs for 24 years.
Tracy has always been interested in gardening and hopes to get into the Master Gardener program in the fall.
Stockmen?Äôs will hold an open house Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., and again Sunday, April 23, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. There will be refreshments, door prizes, and a free plant if you bring your kids. The ribbon cutting will be at 10 a.m. Saturday. Stockmen?Äôs is at 60973 U.S. Hwy. 12 in Litchfield, and their website is www.stockmensgreenhouse.com.
Jim Ducker, Dianne Bauer, Rhonda Jodersma, Tracy Droessler, Jean Read, Phyllis Prantner, and Denise Bauer are among the staff at Stockmen?Äôs ready for your gardening and landscaping needs this season. Staff photo by Jayne Harff.