Mel's Mix at Lowes

**mckr3441** Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:58 pm

There is a topic here titled "Suitable location for teaching." Buried in that thread is the best news I have heard yet!

Lowes will be carrying Mel's Mix. The bad news is that not every Lowes will have it. Go online to www.lowes.com and search for "squarefootgardeningsoil". Then put in your ZIP code and they will tell you if it is available near you.

My local Lowes does not carry it. I talked to Customer Service at Lowes headquarters. Someone from the local Lowes called me back. I peaded. He explained that the buyers often make deals with suppliers -- he gave me Miracle Grow as an example -- that a district will carry only their stuff. I pleaded some more. I explained the growing search for this product.

He is going to talk to the buyer and search surrounding states to see if any other district has it.

Let's get a campaign going... Here's Lowes Customer Service Number: 1-800-445-6937

Here's the item number: #308781

Let's let them know where the market is.

Addendum: just got another call back from Marty at Lowes. BooHoo. The closest store that carries it is in TEXAS!!!! Good news for Texans. Pass the word.

**camprn** Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:54 pm

Good news! Keep campaigning vigorously, hopefully it will eventually pay off!
How many cu.ft. per bag/bale is Mel's Mix? Also, any idea of the retail price @ a place like Lowe's?

junequilt Thu Apr 08, 2010 6:50 pm

I just called customer service and found out -- of course -- that Mel's Mix is not available anywhere in SC. The rep thought he might be able to set up a special order, though. I'm supposed to be contacted by the local store manager sometime over the next 24 hours and will post about what happens.

Obviously, if they want to charge an outlandish amount for shipping, I'm not going to be interested -- but I'd love to see Mel's Mix in there competing for attention with all that Miracle Gro! Mel's Mix at Lowes Icon_cool

martha Thu Apr 08, 2010 6:51 pm

nope, not near me... Mel's Mix at Lowes Icon_sad

rds1955 Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:26 pm

It's listed as Item # 308781, Model GT11670...Not near any of the Lowes stores near me either...I couldn't find it doing a search using the term you used mckr3441.. So I did a search just using the term "Squarefoot"..

Mel's Mix at Lowes Clip_311

Wyldflower Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:33 pm

Not near me, yet, either. If anyone DOES find it available, please post the price...

I'm calling my Lowe's and asking them to get it in. I'll special order, if shipping cost isn't an issue.

Oh... and for those who have a problem with math... you would need four of these two-cubic foot packages to fill one 4'x4'x6" box...

LaFee Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:12 am

In another life, I worked for a major supplier to Lowe's.

You SHOULD be able to get it through their special order department. It may take a long time, though, as they work transfers from stores who stock it to stores who don't stock it...which means it's hauled backward through the system, which is as traumatic as it sounds.

If the store manager doesn't give you an answer, talk to the special order desk. Give them the item number and description (the screen grab would be excellent if printed off and given to them!) -- then see what they say.

ladyevidence Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:53 am

$12.97for 2 cu ft Smile

However, mine is "temporarily out of stock". That means it "usually" has it, but not right now. I checked my 5 closest stores. I bet it had some, but all you SFG'ers took it so fast that they need to restock now...
(Yep, I'm new to this, btw!!)

boffer Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:03 am

Greetings Ladyevidence, wherever you are this late at night on the west coast of the US, welcome to the forum. $glad you\'re here$

I encourage you to contribute to this thread while you're here; I'm sure there will be some curious folks!!!!

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/outside-the-box-f40/what-s-in-a-name-t973.htm

bjwinterton Fri Apr 09, 2010 8:39 am

I have checked my Lowe's here in Panama City FL, and of course, they don't carry it. I will make several calls to corporate to request they stock it.

**mckr3441** Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:48 am

Way to go, everyone! Lets keep this thread alive and get the garden gold into our local stores. I could sure use about 12 bags of it right this very minute!

Keep calling your local stores. See LeFee's post above about talking to the special order department.

Also call customer service at hdqtrs. Here's Lowes Customer Service Number: 1-800-445-6937

Here's the item number: #308781.

I'm going to take a screen print as LeFee suggested to Lowes and all the local stores and Home Depot/WalMart and will check special orders at Lowes, too.

I always read about the power of the internet. This is the first time I've ever been involved with using it to get something really big accomplished. Well, aside from my SFG itself Mel's Mix at Lowes Icon_smile

.

Thanks LeFee for your input. You know we're going to do that! And thanks rds1955 for the screen print.

Rock On!

Teresa Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:58 am

When I looked at Lowe's online it said that Garden Time (Mel's mix) was temporarily unavailable at my nearest store, and I saw the same thing on several other stores in my area. I called the garden center at Lowe's and was told that meant it was on order but would be here within 2 weeks, although he seemed unsure about that. I am very late getting my garden in here in SoCal so I can't wait 2 weeks. I called Customer Support to see if they could tell me if there is a store even remotely near me that carries it. She couldn't say but said she'd have a senior manager from my nearest Lowe's call me with information. I got a call yesterday afternoon and she said they are expecting 300
bags today! Yeah! Perhaps that's true for all the other SoCal stores that said the mix was temporarily unavailable. Mel's Mix at Lowes Icon_sunny

LaFee Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:07 am

Patience, too, folks -- remember that Lowe's has 1,700 stores in the US, Canada, and Mexico, and the logistics of supplying even just one pallet to each store is *enormous*.

It takes a long time for a new vendor to get through the system...and just to put it into perspective, if you count one pallet per store (and most stores will want to stock at least 3 pallets) -- that's still 1,700 pallets of Mel's Mix...and that works out to be somewhere in the neighbourhood of 63 fully-loaded semi trucks.

That's a lot for any manufacturer to produce, and a lot for anybody to distribute. It's pretty common for a new product rollout to go on a region by region basis, because it's easier for Lowe's, the trucking companies, and the manufacturers to handle it.

So be patient...it can't physically happen overnight.

If your local store doesn't have it right now, it doesn't mean that they don't want to carry it...it just might not be ready for their region yet.

**mckr3441** Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:16 am

Good point LeFee! I'm just so excited that I may not have to mix up all that stuff anymore that I am a runaway train looking for Mel's Mix and asking for help!!!

I'll put on my be-patient hat -- Dear Lord, I need patience, and I need it NOW! Mel's Mix at Lowes Icon_smile

boffer Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:21 am

Thanks for the insight, LaFee, you 3 piece suit wearing, brief case carrying, sensible shoe wearing, non-schmoozing ex-sales rep, you!! way to go

LaFee Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:46 am

Naaah. It was 3" stilettos Mel's Mix at Lowes Icon_eek

ladyevidence Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:52 am

Wow... my store just got 300 units of this in today!! Mel's Mix at Lowes Icon_cheers

It will be "on the floor" in a day or so! Yep $12.97!

Well, I sure picked a good time to start...

Teresa Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:15 pm

Just called my Lowe's and they hadn't received the shipment. He called the distributor and found out the shipment is to arrive Monday afternoon. I hate to wait even 3 more days, but I think it will be better than making the mix myself so I'll just have everything ready to go.

californiaallie Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:49 pm

Ladyevidence....I am in Ramona, CA and am wondering which Lowes got the soil in?? I would love to go pick some up!

Thanks!

ladyevidence Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:02 pm

It will be officially "in stock" and on the floor within the next couple of days at the Vista and the Oceanside stores. The woman said "all the stores near you, actually", so if there is somewhere in north county San Diego is closest to you, I'd call and ask!

vinny09 Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:52 pm

Crap, I forgot that there was an existing thread for Mel's Mix at Lowes and started a new one in the Vermiculite forum (which I just realized is the wrong forum). Anyway, Mel's Mix is available at the Vacaville, CA store as of today. There were a ton of them!

auntiemommy Mon Apr 12, 2010 11:31 am

I called the two different Lowe's districts for SE MN and the Twin Cities, neither are stocking it. Sad

**donnainzone5** Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:54 am

It's available at the Hawthorne, Calif. store at Crenshaw and 120th St. There were three pallets, all stored on a high top shelf. I persuaded a manager to leave an entire pallet of bags on the floor and suggested that they be placed near the raised bed display and that they consider offering the all-new version of the Square Foot Gardening book, displayed, of course, in the same area.

I picked up a bag the other day and noticed that the packaging is different. Is there a reason for this? Is it a different formulation? The vermiculite appeared to be smaller than the coarse grade I purchased from U-Line.

I plan to teach some classes at this location....

Maya Papaya Tue Apr 13, 2010 12:19 pm

Woohoo! Found it at my local Lowes' @ $12.97/2 cu. ft. in Union City, CA. Was just about to go out and get my own mix. Haven't done the math for which way will be cheaper, but just off the bat it sure seems to be so much easier to get it pre-mixed! I need to fill two 4'x8' beds so it will cost me $207.52 for the 32 cu. ft. Time is money...my daddy always said.

Thanks to the original poster for this!

Maya

Maya Papaya Tue Apr 13, 2010 12:39 pm

Maya Papaya wrote:Woohoo! Found it at my local Lowes' @ $12.97/2 cu. ft. in Union City, CA. Was just about to go out and get my own mix. Haven't done the math for which way will be cheaper, but just off the bat it sure seems to be so much easier to get it pre-mixed! I need to fill two 4'x8' beds so it will cost me $207.52 for the 32 cu. ft. Time is money...my daddy always said.

Thanks to the original poster for this!

Maya

Ok, I just did the math and it is $30 cheaper for me to actually buy it pre-mixed! I just have to drive 15 miles to get it. I will make the trek...no big deal. SWEEEETTTT!

Maya Papaya

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