Tim Holcomb, right, listens as customer Steve Snyder thanks him for his “Yard of the Month” recognition by the Valleybrook Park neighbors after using his 5-step fertilizing plan at the Holcomb Hixson location.Holcomb Garden Center will close at the end of the month after selling its locations in Hixson and Fort Oglethorpe to a Chattanooga developer who plans to put new shopping centers on the two tracts.
Tim Holcomb, who grew up in the business started by his father 52 years ago, said the timing was right to sell.
“It looked right,” he said, adding that the stores will stay open until the end of June when the business will close for good.
The stores employ from 35 to 40 people in the peak season and about a third of that number in the off season, Holcomb said.
Clint Wolford of Wolford Development in Chattanooga said work is to start later this year in Hixson and around the beginning to next year in Fort Oglethorpe on the new shopping centers on the two parcels, which together include nearly six acres. Wolford said he likes the opportunity to bring new tenants to the Highway 153 site in Hixson and to Battlefield Parkway in North Georgia.
“That Hixson area has been under served,” he said. “There’s more development continuing to happen out there.”
Also, Wolford said, the Battlefield Parkway site shows promise and that area is growing as well.
“There’s an opportunity to add new tenants in that market,” he said.
The purchase price of the property wasn’t disclosed.
Holcomb’s parents, Bill and Bettye Holcomb, started the gardening business in East Ridge. The East Ridge store later moved to Fort Oglethorpe.
Tim Holcomb and his two brothers followed into the business. Holcomb’s father died in late 2017 and his brother, Bill, died in late 2018.
Holcomb said the Hixson store has operated for about 30 years. He said he has been active in the business for about 40 years in all.
“My first priority is to take care of the customers and to finish well,” Holcomb said.
Tim Holcomb, right, listens as customer Steve Snyder thanks him for his “Yard of the Month” recognition by the Valleybrook Park neighbors after using his 5-step fertilizing plan at the Holcomb Hixson location.He said he had no firm plans for himself moving ahead after the business shuts down.
“We’ll see what opens up,” Holcomb said.
Wolford Development most recently put up a new center in Hixson at Highway 153 and Hamill Road. A pair of restaurants, First Watch and Mike’s Tavern, have opened at the center and California Tortilla is slated to debut this summer.
John Woods, a Chattanooga Lookouts co-owner who is a partner with Wolford, said he’s seeing “great deals” in the Scenic City.
“It’s growing. We’re finding opportunities in Chattanooga,” said Woods, who lives in Atlanta and is chief executive officer at Southport Capital, which manages about $600 million in assets.
In Hixson, a pair of new eateries opened earlier this year outside Northgate Mall off Highway 153. Fast-casual Chinese restaurant Panda Express opened a location next to Aubrey’s. Both those restaurants opened on the former site of the Sears automotive store.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.