Owners of SLO County nursery to retire after 41 years. What’s happening with the business?
A grove of fruit and shade trees greets customers at the front gate of Moore’s Western Nursery in Atascadero. There, the hustle and bustle of the city seems to dissolve when patrons browse rows of brightly-colored roses, marigolds and geraniums.
For the past 41 years, Marilee and Bob Paver worked hard to offer quality customer service and create a “garden vibe” in their family-owned nursery — but that soon will be coming to an end.
The couple plans to retire and sell the nursery by November, Marilee Paver told The Tribune. Until then, customers can enjoy a 20% off sale of all merchandise besides bulk material and special orders.
Paver said she will miss her customers, employees and vendors — some who she’s worked with for 30 to 40 years.
The business set itself apart from nearby big-box stores through hands-on customer service and making the nursery feel like a garden, Paver said.
“When everything’s in order, it’s got that garden vibe that the big-boxes can’t create,” she said. “They have concrete or asphalt. We have dirt like a real garden.”
Atascadero nursery to close for retirement
The nursery has been operated by three different families in its 71-year history.
The Bethel Family opened the nursery in 1953, followed later by the Moore family.
The Pavers bought the nursery from the Moore family during the summer of 1983. Since then, the business has offered landscaping and pesticide services alongside the nursery, Marilee Paver said.
During the past 41 years, not much has changed about the way the Pavers run their business, but they have noticed a customer preference for drought-tolerant plants in recent years.
“Trends in plants have really changed in drought years,” Paver said. “People are more into drought-tolerant items needing less water.”
Meanwhile, the heat inspires people to plant shade trees in their yards.
“People love fruit trees and they love shade trees because of this North County hot climate,” she said. “Usually, when it gets warm, they’re thinking of shade for the next year.”
Still, it’s hard to predict what customers will buy at the start of each year.
“You just watch,” Paver said. “You’re going to re-order what’s flying off the shelf.”
Paver said she’ll miss her customers when they close the nursery — especially because they have served three generations of local residents. She often recognizes the grandchildren of her first customers browsing the shop.
“We’ve seen new generations grow up here,” she said.
The Pavers haven’t yet set an official closure date for the nursery, but the business will likely close by November, she said.
They plan to sell the property upon their retirement. It’s possible the business could continue as a nursery, but that would depend on what the buyer wants to do with the property.
For more information
The nursery is located at 8255 Morro Road in Atascadero.
It is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit its website at nurseryatascadero.com or call 805-466-2234
