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Willoway Nursery company history timeline

1954

​In 1954, at 18 years of age, Les “officially” went into business as the Sole Proprietor and Owner of Willoway Nursery.

1956

Prior to their marriage in January, 1956, they leased a greenhouse property in Westlake.

1965

In 1965, a garage and an office were added to their home so Marilyn could move the company bookkeeping responsibilities from the kitchen table.

1975

Les did most of the selling until 1975 when Russ Champion joined Willoway as an independent Sales Representative.

1978

And the original shop area was returned to greenhouse use as well as a lunch area.1978 tested all of us with the infamous blizzard in January.

1979

Tom celebrated his 21st birthday while waiting for the storm to subside and the roads opened to traffic so they could return to Avon.In 1979 Tom married Barbara Hinman, the “girl next door” and they acquired the property known as Range 2.

In 1979, Les and Marilyn met Mark and his wife, Mary at a Cooperative Extension Program designed to help small horticultural businesses get started.

In looking at available information for the writing of this history, it appears that 1979 was the beginning of the largest growth period Willoway Nurseries experienced.

1980

And in 1980-82 Cathy became a land owner when she purchased 40 acres in Sheffield, known as the Peterson Farm and the Walters’ Farm that included a greenhouse.

Our first order for high-band equipment consisted of 4 hand-held radios and 2 truck installations.So much was happening in our industry in the 1980’s.

1981

In 1981 Willoway Nurseries hosted a Summer Field Day for the first time.

1985

Twins, Emily and Erin Jalkanen, the first-born of our family’s third generation, came into the world in January, 1985.

1989

1989 STARTED OFF WITH A BANG! In February crews from Willoway Nurseries not only completed a competitive display garden at the Annual Home and Flower Show, but also built and installed the Flower Show Feature Garden - a Tower of Mums.

1991

Originally set up in a part of the Tool Room area at Range 2, the operation was moved to the upstairs of the Shipping Barn a few years later.THE MOVE WEST began in 1991 when the Lakeview Farm of 89 acres was purchased in Erie County.

1992

On August, 1992, Willoway hosted the 25th ANNUAL GREEN INDUSTRIES FIELD DAY. The Field Day event serves as a summer trade show where people have fun while learning important information about growing procedures and equipment development.

1994

In December, 1994, the Goodyear Conservation Farmer of the Year Award for Lorain County was presented to the Demaline Family and Willoway Nurseries.

1995

The largest reservoir to this date was constructed on the Long Road Farm in 1995-96.

1998

In 1998, unable to hire enough seasonal workers, Willoway Nurseries applied for the Department of Labor Federal H-2A program.

The space vacated at the Main Office was turned over to the Inventory Manager and data entry staff, nursery stock purchasing and accounting.Beginning in 1998, a project was undertaken to transform the 2+ acres in front of the main nursery just north of the driveway.

2006

In early 2006, a major decision was made by the Demaline Family to build a new greenhouse facility in Erie County on property already owned, known as the Ward Farm.

2014

Since 2014, the company has continued to follow the path begun with the implementation of the Great Game of Business concept.

2015

2015 brought to the table the opportunity to further discuss and develop goals for the future by proposing and documenting Visions.

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Founded
1954
Company founded
Headquarters
Avon, OH
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Walnut Springs Nursery-$8.0M2-
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Willoway Nursery history FAQs

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Willoway Nursery, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Willoway Nursery. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Willoway Nursery. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Willoway Nursery. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Willoway Nursery and its employees or that of Zippia.

Willoway Nursery may also be known as or be related to Willoway Nurseries Inc, Willoway Nurseries, Inc. and Willoway Nursery.