Hydroponics store opens in Ypsilanti, hopes to beat big-box competitors
Many Michiganders facing hardships due to the tough economy are starting to grow and produce their own crops of vegetables — and a new Ypsilanti store, Hydro Home Indoor Gardening Supplies, is ready to meet the demand, owner Syed Raza said.
Hydro Home Indoor Growing Supplies opened on Ecorse Road in Ypsilanti.
Photo courtesy of Hydro Home
Hydroponics, the process of growing plants in sand, gravel or liquid with nutrients and no soil, is a draw to consumers because it can occur year-round with the appropriate tools, Raza said.
"They can control their harvest year round," he said. "They can also harvest just about any fruit or vegetable with the exception of lettuce because that does need soil."
The store is leasing 4,000 square feet at 50 Ecorse Road, Suite C in Ypsilanti.
Local indoor gardening enthusiasts should be pleasantly surprised to discover the store has an abundant supply of tools and accessories that would enable individuals to grow fresh crops from the comfort of their homes and businesses, Raza said.
“I believe there is a great demand,” Raza said. “People need a neighborhood store and a friendly and knowledgeable staff. I think people will appreciate our store and the help with their gardening needs. Those who are harvesting right now are coming to fulfill their needs."
The store will sell more than 3,000 items, including various pesticides, soil, lighting control and fixtures, and accessories.
Raza said he is dedicated to offering competitive pricing and will match lower prices that customers may find at other businesses.
“We are open to customers about pricing,” he said. “We say that we could meet or beat any competitors’ price.”
Raza said he hoped to benefit from a "buy local" push as customers seek out indoor gardening supplies from local retailers instead of big-box stores.
“One of the major things and difference is that we are two different animals,” he said. “Home Depot and Lowe's don’t carry the type of products that we carry. We are specifically indoor gardening supplies, which means that Lowe's and Home Depot aren’t even close. The type of soil that we carry, they don’t even have an idea about."
He added: "We have premium quality products, and when I say premium, I mean that literally. I have not seen those items in any store. That’s definitely going to bring traffic and attract attention from customers."
Raza said the idea to open the store came a year ago when he visited an out-of-state friend to help open a business.
“I met one of my friends in Charlotte, N.C., and he happened to find a store that he was trying to get for his accounting services and that store had indoor gardening supplies all over the place," Raza said. “So we asked the landlord if there had been a store there for indoor gardening and he said yes. So we did a little digging into it and we found out it was probably a good idea to open that store and ended up turning that store into an indoor gardening supplies hydroponics store in North Carolina.”
Raza returned to Michigan and sought an area to open an indoor gardening store, and he settled on Ypsilanti as a good place to do business.
Currently, Raza has three employees but he expects that number to increase with the addition of a new store opening soon in Port Huron.
“If the business takes off, I will definitely be hiring more people,” he said. “I’m looking for someone who has retail and hydroponics background. I’m looking for people who are interact and friendly and who have fairly good knowledge about gardening.”
So far, Raza has seen a great amount of interest in his store and he has visited between 20 and 30 local restaurants that are curious about growing their own produce.
“They’re all willing to grow, especially tomatoes and peppers in home, inside and in front of customers to market that, ‘yes, we have fresh produce and we just hand pick your fruit and make it from there,’” he said. “I haven’t surveyed the individual homes, but the demand from the local restaurants and word is spreading. “
Feedback from the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor community has been overwhelming, Raza said.
“People are very, very excited,” he said. “I really want to let people know to come and try us. We are definitely going to satisfy their needs.”
Comments
Jaclyn
Sun, Oct 2, 2011 : 6:58 p.m.
We are an indoor gardening supply store. Marijuana is associated with indoor gardening, however it is not the sole purpose of our store. The definition of hydroponics is cultivation of plants in nutrient solution rather than in soil. Using hydroponics, and not soil, eliminates plant diseases and pests that can reside in soil. It also can provide locally grown, organic produce for the people in the area. Our hope is to educated everyone on indoor gardening and it's benefits. Check out the links below to see some unique hydroponic grows, and think about how we can implement these kinds of ideas into our community... Have an open mind, think about the future, step outside the box. <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/slideshow/nyc-man-intends-open-sustainable-restaurant-11316992" rel='nofollow'>http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/slideshow/nyc-man-intends-open-sustainable-restaurant-11316992</a> <a href="http://inhabitat.com/japanese-subway-grows-lettuce-in-house-to-top-their-sandwiches/japan-subway-hydro-lettuce/" rel='nofollow'>http://inhabitat.com/japanese-subway-grows-lettuce-in-house-to-top-their-sandwiches/japan-subway-hydro-lettuce/</a>
kochmann
Sun, Oct 2, 2011 : 7:34 p.m.
try not to pay to much attention to the ignorati on this site and in this country...
Think!
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 11:20 p.m.
Wow, some people really need to read more and get out into the world more. I have been growing Genovese basil in a hydroponic garden for years. I just bought a second unit in order to grow tomatoes. I don't know if you realize this, but it is pretty darn near impossible to grow tomatoes in the Michigan snow. And the cardboard poor excuse for tomatoes that you get in the market from Florida are a waste of the use of your taste buds and mastication abilites. As for Hydro Home, welcome to Ypsilanti. I look forward to being a patron.
Ann English
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 10:49 p.m.
"Hydroponic tomatoes" to me means one kind of beefsteak tomatoes. I never applied "hydroponic" to anything but tomatoes before.
Hmm
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 6:35 p.m.
Hydroponically grown peppers are pretty tasty as well
dogpaddle
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 3:16 p.m.
Seriously, Marcy? We don't NEED this store? Please, with all of our closed retail operations (from Borders down to This and That and several restaurants) and people moving elsewhere, how can you say we don't need this store? We need all the help we can get. This store, like what they sell or not, is going to pay taxes and help keep what is left of our region going while it can. And don't blame the store because people who shop there might not really be growing tomatoes. That's not the store's problem. Hydroponic grow equipment is not illegal anywhere. In a true Republican spirit (which I'm not a part of - but I do have nostalgia and admiration for what the Republican Party used to be - think Gerald and Betty Ford) and the spirit of the American dream, support entrepreneurship. Anyone who is forward thinking enough to try to make a go of something in this economic climate has my vote. And, JohnA2, I'm with you. In these troubled times, however people can get by that doesn't hurt other people, let them. If the only way they can put food on their table is by growing and selling "whatever", do it. In fact, like Nevada, it's time for prostitution to be decriminalized, too. Like growing something that grows naturally, how can you really stop someone from using their own body and collecting a "tip" for it or whatever they do or whatever they want to call it. If you've got the body that can earn you food on your table, go for it. As our "representatives in Lansing continue to cut and take away from middle class and poor people, middle class (what's left of them) and poor people will do what they need to do to feed their families. I don't one bit support stealing from others, but is it any wonder those crimes are up? People are desperate.
Marcy
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
also, shame on the Ann Arbor news for printing such a silly story, like its true......or maybe they were fooled...please!!!
Marcy
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
hahaha, I love the comments...my exact thoughts too......really veggies? We don't need this store in our community!
Hmm
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 6:34 p.m.
Keep your sticking your head in the ground going "la la la". Cannabis is not going anywhere and your refusal to accept that fact is sad but typical. Don't worry it will all be over for people like you soo enough with full out RElegalization in the coming years
jcj
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 1:17 p.m.
Sell or try to sell what ever you want. BUT have the guts to call it what it is! If anyone believes a business could survive in this economy selling equipment to grow tomatoes indoors...
UlyssesSwrong
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:05 p.m.
The reality of the situation: there are many new medical marijuana growers so stores that specialize in indoor gardening supplies are seeing a surge in our area. Sooner or later, the sheer amount of these stores around will cause less to open, so I suppose it's a smart business to open in this opportunistic time.
average joe
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 5:49 p.m.
I have a friend that works for a horticultural supply company that has been wholesaling hydroponic equipment & supplies for decades. They suddenly seen a tremendous upswing, like a 40x increase in sales right after the pot bill was passed. Thats alot of tomatoes. Also, the owner of this new business may have tipped his hand slightly as to what customer base "main crop" he is planning on serving with the statement that you can't grow lettuce hydroponically, or without soil. One of the first crops that hydroponics were used on was & still is lettuce. As an expert, he should know this. @ kochmann- If pot does indeed 'cure', why does the patient keep using it for 'extended' periods? (lifetime?) It may or may not relieve the effects of certain diseases, but does it really cure?
kochmann
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 4:13 a.m.
<a href="http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2011/09/29/news/doc4e84aefed26e6347131317.txt" rel='nofollow'>http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2011/09/29/news/doc4e84aefed26e6347131317.txt</a> YES CANNABIS CURES and/or effectively and safely treats a myriad of conditions. Our body has the endocannabinoid system which is designed to process cannabinoids. Cannabis has cured for thousands of years.
smokeblwr
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 5:21 p.m.
I'll stick with alcohol: The Cause of and Solution To....All of Life's Problems.
Hmm
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 6:30 p.m.
And that's your right. Some people would rather use cannabis and that's their right too. The Golden Rule is really the answer
Goofus
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 5:14 p.m.
Lost in all the shopkeeper's hype-talk --- and the obvious fact that mostly indoor hydro grow operations sell equipment with which to grow marijuana efficiently and had high potency indoors --- is the fact that there's currently a huge glut of these sorts operations in town and in the county. The west side of A2 had at least 3-4 hydro grow stores two downtown, one out on Jackson, and the one on Ellsworth, and Ypsi currently has 4 counting this one, the one in Depotown, one on Holmes, one on Bosun, and now this. Do we really need 8-9 places selling nearly identical equipment for growing --- ahem cough cough --- indoor "tomatoes"?
John A2
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:59 p.m.
People can laugh at this if they want, but you really just wished you could do this thing. Money is tight here in Michigan and if growing your own pot and making a profit on it and it pays the bills then go for it. It's not like pot isn't everywhere already. Living here all my life I never saw a shortage and always found it easy to find. So, it's already here, and get with the program folks, the state is broke, the country is broke, corporations are only interested in pleasing the share holders, so they're only looking at the downsizing and the incredible bottom line. We should change our constitution to "We the Share Holders" instead of "We the People".
Woman in Ypsilanti
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:50 p.m.
I certainly wish this store success. And it doesn't bother me that most of their customers are marijuana users who want to grow their own. In fact I prefer it because anyone who grows their own marijuana will no longer be contributing to the drug cartel violence problem in Mexico. What we really should do is de-criminalize home grow operations completely, even for recreational use. On that note, I do know a guy who purchased a whole hydroponic set up to grow marijuana but then found that his crop stunk up his house too much. So he ended up using it for vegetables. They were delicious. seriously. I can totally see how someone who really likes certain vegetables that don't transport well and thus are unavailable in supermarkets might want to invest in this kind of thing.
Hmm
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 6:34 p.m.
Definitely needed a carbon filter, and a fan to suck in the air.
Tom Joad
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:37 p.m.
Surely you jest. The only crop that would be worth the investment would be marijuana. I doubt highly many people are going to invest a couple thousand dollars in hydroponic grow equipment to raise heirloom tomatoes in their basement. The electricity costs alone would make indoor gardening cost prohibitive. Why p***y foot around. This store is selling to dope growers, pure and simple.
kochmann
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:33 p.m.
Indoor/Outdoor Urban Farming can and should include growing one's own medicine. This is long over due in a rational society. Cannabis Cures Grow your own produce as cheaply as store bought too I am doing it and have been for some time
xmo
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:29 p.m.
I did not hear of any incentives or tax breaks that the store was given for locating in Ypsilanti?
Ignatz
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:10 p.m.
Good for them and any other local who can exploit a niche in the marketplace.
EyeHeartA2
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 3:49 p.m.
"They're all willing to grow, especially tomatoes and peppers in home" Bwaaaahahahaha I spit coffee through my nose on that one.
kochmann
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:34 p.m.
I pity you your addiction to caffeine. Cannabis Cures addiction
paulczar
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 3:32 p.m.
Does anyone actually use this stuff for anything other than marijuana? Growing hydroponic tomatoes for example would be a a costly way to have fresh tomatoes in February.
John A2
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:47 p.m.
The most costly thing with hydro is power, so if you can find the alternate source and only use artificial light to add the growing hours your veggies need. Not only is it much cheaper to grow your own, but you don't have to wonder where they're from, or if they have been radiated or sprayed. The one thing I have not checked out yet is if you can do this with root veggies, like onions and carrots. I have not started a system but I have been reading up on the many ways to do this.
kochmann
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:31 p.m.
It is not as costly as one would think particularly as one can plug into a solar array, combine sunlight via windows or use alternate low wattage lighting all of which produces tomatoes that compete with store bought AND You Get the Best and the Freshest produce in Winter. One can also grow one's own medicine for a myriad of proven applications because Cannabis Cures.
wolfman jack
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 3:27 p.m.
Veggies ? Really ? I've got a bridge to sell you, too. Pot.
Technojunkie
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 3:10 p.m.
This month's Urban Farm magazine has a bunch of hydroponics articles, FWIW. B&N carries it, don't know about other (surviving) bookstores. I like the idea of aquaponics (hydroponics + fish) even better. Bluegill should work well in Michigan.