TECHNOLOGY Embracing A South Carolina IGC revolutionizes its business with easy-to-learn technology. By Carly McFadden W ith decades of history behind its name, Forest Lake Greenhouses combined the wisdom gained over the years with modernized technology to move the garden center into the future. Forest Lake Greenhouses, currently owned by Luke Venable, was founded in 1989 and features both wholesale and retail garden center operations in Florence, South Carolina. Venable's grandfather, an entrepreneur and farmer, helped the retailer's founders kick-start business and gave them a piece of his farmland. For 30 years, Forest Lake Greenhouses experienced steady growth to the point where it was becoming harder to manage, leading its founders to step away and retire. Venable had Forest Lake Greenhouses has operated as a wholesale and retail garden center for nearly four decades. Photos courtesy of Forest Lake Greenhouses/Epicor. 38 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | AUGUST 2024