Green Acres Outdoor Living

Green Acres Outdoor Living

Hard Work, Family Values & Honesty

The Lehigh Valley continues to be a hub for small businesses to grow and flourish.

Amazingly, Green Acres Outdoor Living went from a hobby-like business selling wooden sheds in an open lot by the roadside to a super-efficient, multi-faceted organization selling the highest quality, most comprehensive outdoor and recreational living product lines merchandised anywhere in the region.

Green Acres President Lee Reinford explains that the key to the company’s success is a result of three simple ingredients–hard work, family values, and honesty.

“Founded in 1988 by Joanne Swartzentruber, the goal of creating a company where the entire family could work and spend time together was the inspiration. The family had a mission and went out and accomplished it,” Reinford says.

One-by-one, Swartzentruber began introducing her children to the business to teach them work ethic and values. These ideals come primarily from Mennonite ties and an exceptionally unique straightforwardness that allowed them to overcome the sacrifices related to starting a company from scratch.

As the company grew Joanne’s husband Lynford left his job and joined the effort full-time. Today, the business is operated by the family’s youngest son Carl, whose experience and passion is tied to his early life in the business.

No one here says or thinks, that’s not my job

“Near the turn of the century, we expanded beyond the family, opened our signature store in Easton, but kept the same core values. This massive, but uniquely merchandised store has about 10,000 square feet of retail product on display inside and 25-30,000 outside,” Reinford explains. He relates the overall success of the business to the Swartzentruber family’s faith, attitude, and ability to look at problems or challenges.

He also gives high credit to the values and skills of the entire staff. “Most of our employees come from agrarian communities who represent a diverse array of technical and manual skills. We don’t want to waste people’s time or money. We’re not afraid of hard work. We enjoy it. This enables us to heighten the efficiency and productivity of our business as a whole,” Reinford says.

“Our employees represent a strong moral code, placing high importance on hard work and a passion to solve problems. We all pitch in and work as a team. No one here says or thinks, that’s not my job,” Reinford says. Credibly, he goes on to cite that the root of the company’s success also comes from treating employees like family.

Together, these characteristics put Green Acres Outdoor Living on the fast track. The addition of products and services over the years led to a period of high growth and stability. Nowadays, they work on improving the business by keeping their attention and focus on the things they do really well.

Besides always doing the right thing for customers and employees, the company’s productivity and efficiency allows them to keep overhead low, so they can carry the most unique, comprehensive selection of outdoor furniture, grills, smokers, gazebos, hammocks, sheds, outdoor garages, and recreational products on display anywhere. This is what makes them different.

Most companies in this space have very few products in-stock placing orders for customers that can take weeks and months to arrive. Green Acres does the opposite. They keep product well-stocked aiming for a maximum three-day delivery lead time when required.

 

Most companies have very few floor samples of their product line on display. Green Acres, in a variety of specialty departments, typically carries the entire product line. For example, along with hundreds of accessories on display, the entire Weber® and Green Egg® product lines are all beautifully presented on-premises and in stock for purchase the same day.

The overall value and quality that Green Acres delivers in outdoor furniture also sets them apart from others. With quality in mind from the onset, the majority of outdoor product they carry is manufactured by the Amish out of Lancaster County and Indiana. 

“Our products hit the majority of the public market’s preferences for quality and price, creating products with optimal value,” Reinford states. “Our furniture comes from small manufacturers who are exceptional craftsman. If they want to do business with us, they provide products to us at a fair wholesale price. This is what gives us an edge against larger box stores and outdoor living companies,” Reinford explains.

Green Acres Outdoor Living aspires to deliver products and services that benefit the everyday lives of people, and hopes to provide high-quality products for a high-quality life. They have multiple locations throughout the area with their signature store off of Route 33 in Easton.

Visit greenacres.info for more information.

3850 Newburg Rd. Easton
610.330.9600

1176 Mickley Rd. Whitehall
610.439.8959

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