ST. JOSEPH (WJON News) - A favorite St. Joseph garden center has a new set of owners.

Ryan and Stephanie Roder completed their purchase of Thompson’s Garden Center in October.

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Co-owner Stephanie Roder says while the business may have new owners, they’ll work to keep the same feel to the business.

We don't want to lose what we already have. I feel like clients come here, and they come back, for a reason. People tell us that all the time, people that we've known from our past and people that we've just met, they're just genuinely so excited. They love to come here and we don't want to change that.

There were no staffing changes under the new ownership, and the previous owners have agreed to stay on for a year to help consult the new owners of the business.

Ryan Roder’s background is in corporate finance, and he says the real work of learning a new business has begun

I feel like I'm adding stuff to my resume every day. I'm learning to drive the bobcat, and I'm driving the forklift, learning how to take care of these buildings, learning how things flow and what the processes are. Plus, working with the staff who knows so much.

The couple, both graduates of St. John’s and St. Ben’s, plan on holding a few holiday planting parties before the work of spring planting begins in February.

St. Joseph's on the Grow!

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