Inside the Success of Starkie Bros Garden Center: Turning Local Search Into In-Store Sales

For many independent retailers, slow-moving inventory is just part of doing business. Products that seem like a good buy can end up sitting on the shelf for months—even after steep discounts. But what if there were a better way to connect local shoppers with the exact items collecting dust on your shelves?

That’s exactly what happened at Starkie Bros Garden Center in Farmingdale, New York. Thanks to New Media Retailer’s fully managed Local Inventory Ads program, Starkie Bros didn’t just clear out slow stock—they made a profitable sale, proved the power of real-time product visibility, and gave new life to their in-store inventory strategy.

A Family-Owned Garden Center Rooted in Local Community

Starkie Bros Garden Center has been serving the Farmingdale community for decades. The business traces its roots back to when Butch Starkie and his brother, John, started a landscaping company as young entrepreneurs. In their early 20s, they purchased the property on Main Street and launched a small outdoor nursery. By the early 1990s, the business had grown into the full-service indoor/outdoor garden center it is today.

Today, Butch Starkie owns and operates Starkie Bros Garden Center, while his brother John runs a separate landscaping business. The garden center is a true community staple—offering a wide range of products for home gardeners and landscaping professionals alike.

Like many independent retailers, Starkie Bros thrives on personalized service, deep local knowledge, and a carefully curated selection of products. But competing with big-box stores and online giants—especially when it comes to digital visibility—has long been a challenge.

From Dusty Shelf to Checkout Counter: One Grate Case Study

When Starkie Bros signed up for New Media Retailer’s Local Inventory Ads program, they hoped to improve their product visibility online—but they didn’t expect a return so quickly.

Here’s what Hank Starkie, who helps manage marketing and operations at Starkie Bros, had to say in his own words:

“We finally sold that fireplace grate that had been sitting on the shelf for months.”
— Hank, Starkie Bros Garden Center

“We had this fireplace grate just collecting dust—nobody was asking about it, not even at 50% off. But not long after we started running these Local Inventory Ads, someone walked in and said they had seen we had fireplace grates in stock and wanted to buy one.

Turns out they found us by searching online, saw the grate listed in our Google Business Profile, and clicked through one of our new ads. That click only cost us 32 cents… and the grate sold for $72. What drove the customer to the store was the fact that we had the item in stock, while other stores had shipping only options.

It really opened my eyes to how powerful this kind of advertising can be. These ads are putting our actual products—what we physically have in-store—right in front of people nearby who are ready to buy. For a small business like ours, that kind of visibility and return is a big deal.

We’re excited to keep going with it. If it helped us sell something that hadn’t moved in months, I can only imagine what it will do for our best-sellers.”

This single $0.32 click generated a $72 sale—and more importantly, it validated a new strategy for inventory management.

A Shift in Retail Mindset: Rethinking Deep Discounts

As Hank later explained, this wasn’t just a one-off win. It changed how they think about pricing and exposure for slow-moving products:

“One of the key things about the fireplace grate was that items like this we would put on sale for 50% off, maybe even 75%, but it was only exposed to customers walking by it. Now I am less inclined to sale price slow movers, knowing that their exposure is much greater now.”

This shift from markdowns to marketing is a game-changer. With more people searching online for in-stock, local products, retailers like Starkie Bros can now meet those buyers where they are—on Google.

The Power of Local Inventory Ads (LIA)

Local Inventory Ads are a type of Google ad that show real-time in-store inventory to shoppers nearby. They appear in search results when someone in your area looks for a product you carry. The ad highlights that your store has the item in stock, how much it costs, and even links to your Google Business Profile where they can get directions or call to check availability.

New Media Retailer offers a fully managed LIA program for independent retailers like Starkie Bros. Here’s what the program includes:

• Full Google Merchant Center setup

• Integration with your point-of-sale system

• Product feed management and optimization

• Image and description cleanup

• Google Business Profile integration

• Ad campaign setup and ongoing optimization

• No hassle—completely done for you

For a small monthly fee, retailers get a powerful advertising program that most big brands pay thousands to implement. And unlike many do-it-yourself ad platforms, New Media Retailer handles every technical and marketing detail behind the scenes. Clients are paired with dedicated Marketing Specialists who proactively manage the entire process.

Why This Works So Well for Independent Retailers

For businesses like Starkie Bros, success with digital marketing isn’t just about flashy websites or broad national campaigns. It’s about getting the right product in front of the right local customer at the right time.

And that’s exactly what Local Inventory Ads do.

• They drive foot traffic. Customers are actively looking for in-stock items they can get today.

• They boost full-price sales. No need to discount heavily just to make room.

• They showcase real inventory. Big-box competitors often don’t have items available locally.

• They convert. As Hank’s story shows, even a single $0.32 ad click can lead to a meaningful sale.

The Bottom Line for Other Independent Retailers

If you’re an independent store owner wondering how to increase foot traffic, boost sales, and get more visibility for your products, this case study should be a wake-up call.

Retailers no longer have to rely on sidewalk visibility or seasonal discounts to move product. By tapping into the search behavior of nearby customers, you can sell more inventory at full price—all while spending just a few cents per click.

As Hank put it best:

“These ads are putting our actual products—what we physically have in-store—right in front of people nearby who are ready to buy. For a small business like ours, that kind of visibility and return is a big deal.”

Interested in Trying Local Inventory Ads?

If you’re a New Media Retailer customer and want to learn more about the fully managed Local Inventory Ads Program, reach out to your Marketing Specialist. We’ll handle everything for you—from setup to strategy to results.

If you’re not yet a New Media Retailer client and want to bring this kind of marketing to your store, contact us here to schedule a free consultation. Let’s put your in-store products in front of more local customers—just like we did for Hank.