When Lorna MacDougall started her nursery business in 2008, she never imagined that, eight years later, she’d end up opening a retail shop in downtown Grand Forks.
A former pharmacy technician, Lorna started Avalon Gardens as a home-based business so that she could stay home and look after her children. As her business grew, she approached Community Futures Boundary for a micro loan to purchase additional greenhouses.
She paid off the first loan and returned a couple of years later when she needed to purchase more inventory, and then again as she expanded into pottery and garden décor, paying off each loan.
Last fall, Lorna teamed up with the owner of a successful women’s clothing boutique to open a retail shop in downtown Grand Forks. The storefront gives Avalon Gardens a presence downtown, and allows her to carry more items, such as home décor and gifts.
