Archie’s Gardenland celebrates 90 years of blooming business in Fort Worth

Tucked behind a busy shopping center, a decades-old family retail business just off Camp Bowie Boulevard remains a tranquil gardening oasis for many of the city's residents.

Archie's Gardenland bursts with color from all the flowers and plants displayed throughout the oak tree-filled property at 6700 Z Boaz Place in west Fort Worth. The business, which traces its roots to the Central Texas town of Lampasas, has been helping Fort Worth residents beautify their green spaces for generations.

Their business just keeps blooming. So, naturally, the company motto is "A Growing Tradition since 1934."

More than 400 loyal customers celebrated the 90th anniversary of Archie's Gardenland Sept. 28 as the business featured daylong sales specials, promotional giveaways, live music and other festivities.

Randall Archie, a co-owner with his father Rick Archie and aunt Vicki Archie Dossey, said the company's customers extend across generations of local families.

"Generations can shop together here and it becomes a tradition," he said, pointing to a father who joined his children in a play area added years ago. A pumpkin patch, centered around an antique truck, was nearby.

The company was founded by Randall's great-grandfather, N.E. Archie Sr., in 1934, after the businessman moved from Lampasas. The N.E. Archie & Son Landscape Co. developed its clientele through their expertise in planting and maintaining large trees. The business was renamed Archie's Planter Box and later moved to the 4900 block of Camp Bowie Boulevard.

"Mr. Archie's basic philosophy was to provide top quality plant material with the best service possible to their customers," the company said on its website. "They did many large landscaping jobs all the way from Wichita Falls to Dallas."

In 1952, the company was renamed Archie's Gardenland and moved to the current location back when it was surrounded by pastureland and the road out front was still part of Camp Bowie Boulevard.

The center employs degreed foresters and horticulturists, aiding in the business's expertise in native plants, customers said.

Andrea Silvestri, a 67-year-old Fort Worth resident, has shopped at Archie's Gardenland for decades.

"I love this place because it's close to home," she said. "I remember when this place was smaller. They've bought block by block to expand and grow."

Silvestri said she trusts the staff to aid her in picking out plants that are native to Texas and drought-resistant since the state's weather extremes can be harsh on flora.

"This is one of the first places I stop when I'm looking for something," Silvestri said. "They know what grows well in Texas."

As Archie's Gardenland has expanded, so has its offerings. With thousands more square feet, they added garden decor and accessories and increased their North Texas soil, compost and fertilizer products. They now have 14 greenhouses to cultivate and grow plants. To compete with big box stores, Randall Archie said, they promote the staff's personal touch and extensive knowledge of what can survive and thrive in Texas soil.

A recent culinary collaboration was born with the creation of the Heirloom Garden Cafe, a food truck on the property where an old laundromat once stood. The cafe, a partnership between Archie and Kevin Martinez, executive chef at Tokyo Cafe, focuses on handmade dishes made from locally sourced products.

The cafe's special menu for the 90th anniversary celebration included a gourmet hot dog with watermelon relish, a chili cheese dog and hand-rubbed pesto-parmesan smoked wings. A mainstay is the Heirloom & Motz, a dish consisting of toasted sourdough and homemade mozzarella topped with pesto, balsamic glaze and pumpkin seeds, served with fresh fruit.

A patio with bright yellow tables and bistro chairs offered diners and shoppers a respite in the shade.

Amid the shoppers and lush vegetation, cats lazily slept away the afternoon.

Randall Archie, the fourth-generation owner, said some feral cats "call us home."

"They enjoy the garden life," he said, adding that volunteers help take care of the cats and some have been adopted by customers.

Archie, a graduate of Paschal High School and Texas A&M University, said he spent much of his youth at the garden center.

"I spent a lot of weekends here as a kid," which helped with his knowledge of plants stocked at the garden center, he said.

Multiple family members work at the center as well.

"This requires so much of the Archie family," he said. "My dad and I basically work 7 days a week until November."

Archie said his 16-year-old son is now working at the family business.

"He's learning the ropes and doing a good job," he said.

As the company moves forward, Archie said he is focused on the future.

"Turning the page, in 10 years, we'll be 100," he said. "Being a family business, it's the family dynamic that keeps it going for sure."

The garden center will fine-tune its operation and look at increasing its plant selection and expanding its greenhouses, Archie said.

Customers have asked if they will ever open another location, but Archie rules out that notion.

"One is plenty," he said with a grin.

Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at .

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here .

Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.