A Family-Owned Business

The Wagner Family Today
left to right: Diane Wagner, Ron Wagner, Nola Wagner, Julie Wagner, Susan Wagner, Scott Wagner, Nik Wagner, Nolin Wagner

Wagner's 5th Generation

from top left to right: Julie Wagner, Nik Wagner, Nolin Wagner, Eric Wagner, Laura Wagner

We are excited to have the opportunity to share our history and our family heritage with you. It is this history and heritage that follows the path of Wagner's Greenhouses, Inc. in becoming a succesful, industry leading organization. For your convinence we have included a text version of our history that you will find below, we have also included a narrative slideshow. This slideshow will take you back to the early days of the company, giving you the opportunity to see first hand those individuals that have been instrumental in the success of Wagner's Greenhouses, Inc.

Wagner's is a fifth generation company operating at the same location for the past 100 years. The company was originally founded by August Cornelius with glasshouse and field production of vegetables. As the facilities expanded from the original 4,000 square foot glasshouse, hothouse tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, watercress, and radishes were also grown. After immigrating from Germany, J. Emil Wagner married August's daughter, Johanna, and they took the helm of the greenhouses in 1931. In addition to greenhouse production of vegetables, field production of vegetables, especially tomatoes continued. Production of ornamentals began in 1957 with a few geraniums and eventually other finished bedding plants. Initially, vegetable products were sold to local stores, individuals at farmer's markets, and on-site. The on-site, retail sales of bedding plants began in the late 50s. Rich and Nola Wagner, incorporated in 1967. The retail area was originally open only during the spring; 1984 was the first year the retail area was open for holiday sales of poinsettias. Currently, the Minneapolis retail area is open year-round and the Hugo retail area is open for the summer growing season from April through late December. Ron and Scott Wagner are now actively involved in administration and production.

Wagner's is continually updating and expanding their facilities and adjusting their product lines. Overall, expansion has been a fairly constant process with several recent projects: the front warehouse was added in 1994, the southeast greenhouse was added in 1995, and the office remodeling was completed in January of 1996. In early 1998 we made a significant increase in our production space with the acquisition of a growing range in Hugo, about 30 miles northeast of the Penn Avenue location. Expansion at Hugo in late 1998 afforded us much more needed production space. Our most significant product line adjustment began in the mid-80s, when we began the shift to plug production. Up until the early 90s, we wholesaled finished bedding plants in addition to plugs and liners. We currently produce finished bedding plants for our retail garden centers in Minneapolis and in Hugo. Both retail and wholesale sales of young plants continue to grow each year. Wholesale sales now accounts for approximately 75% of total sales.

As our facilities and product lines continue to evolve, two things will remain the same: 1) we will remain dedicated to emphasizing clean, disease free products and greenhouses and 2) our staff will continue to be helpful to customers, sales people, and brokers with their questions and orders.