The End for Hartke Nursery Could Be as Early as September

Hartke Nursery on Warson Road in Olivette could be in dire straits.

Two things have happened to directly impact its business.

First, the small business loan from BMO Harris, a Canadian bank, is being called in. The end could come as early as this September, according to co-owner Cindy Collins. She purchased the business along with her husband Jerry from Ralph and Pat Hartke in 2002.

Second, the Olivette City council ignored the pleas of the Collins to rezone parking lots in April of 2011 to allow for the set up of temporary seasonal businesses. Planthaven Farms has been doing business during the summer months on the parking lot of the Olivette Bowling Lanes.

Faced with a recession, loss of interest in gardening, summer droughts and extreme weather conditions, the nursery’s business has dropped since 2007. A staff of some 43 has dwindled to 20, including owners, in order to maintain good business practices with belt-tightening measures.

“Our staff remains dedicated and we are committed to keeping the nursery open and the jobs alive,” said Cindy Collins.

The bank has issued a legal forbearance notice, even though the Collins are current on their loans and the property is worth twice the amount of the outstanding loan.

The Collins question whether all bank matters are in order, originating with an small business loan with Southwest Bank, which became M&I Bank, which ended up as BMO Harris.

Working from a balloon loan at the very start, the Collins question if all bank transactions were handled accurately. Requests to debit their payments were never done, saying bank officials assured them all payments would be caught up, once new loans were issued.

The Collins constructed a “plea for help” sign at the front of their property on Warson Road. The bank is insisting on a co-signer for the loan, and the Collins are in search of such person, a company or just an old fashioned miracle. Foreclosure would mean a loss in tax revenue for Olivette anywhere from $50,000-$85,000 per year.

The Collins fear the bank will force them out of business, earning a nice profit by closing them down.

For years, Hartke has tackled the big box competition successfully.

“I think our loyal customers understand the special care and attention they get here by shopping with us,” said Cindy Collins.

At one time, Olivette had two nurseries. Beckman’s went out of business years ago, at the time of Bruce Beckman’s retirement. That property was redeveloped into the present day CVS Pharmacy.

Patch.com will continue to follow this issue, determining what is the future of Hartke Nursery in Olivette.

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