GrowGeneration expands gardening choices on its house turf of Pueblo

Tracy Harmon

| The pueblo chief

GrowGeneration, Colorado’s own Home Depot of Grow and the largest hydroponic retail chain in the country, expanded in Pueblo County after the chain acquired Grow Warehouse on Tuesday.

The Pueblo Grow Warehouse Store, 4231 N. Elizabeth, is a hydroponic and organic garden center.

GrowGeneration was founded in Pueblo West at 130 E. Industrial Blvd. founded when co-founders Michael Salaman and Darren Lampert bought their first store in 2014.

“As cannabis became a growing industry in Colorado, we took regular trips to the state to meet with growers and get a feel for what it would take to be successful in the market.

“We saw a great opportunity to serve the industry and we wanted to create a national chain of organic gardening and hydroponic businesses focused on growing cannabis,” said Salaman, president of the company.

GrowGeneration continued to expand across the state and nationally.

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“We set up our corporate headquarters in Denver to be closer to the major cannabis operators there. We have always maintained our business in Pueblo (West) and with this acquisition we are expanding our presence there, ”said Salaman.

Since Colorado remains the heart of the U.S. cannabis industry, it is considered one of the most mature markets in the country, according to Salaman.

“That’s why we’re always looking to expand our presence and serve farmers across the state. This particular acquisition helps us strengthen our presence in Pueblo and Colorado Springs, two important markets in the state, “said Salaman.

Through the Grow Warehouse team, GrowGeneration employs 50 people in Pueblo County.

The Grow Warehouse acquisition includes two stores in Colorado Springs and one in Oklahoma City. The purchase marks GrowGeneration’s third acquisition this year and brings the total number of GrowGeneration stores in Colorado to eight, including one in Trinidad, and 46 across the country.

“With federal cannabis legalization pending, GrowGeneration continues to build relationships with its key Colorado customer base and grow nationally into emerging medical and adult markets,” said Monisha Pillai, a public relations spokeswoman.

Grow Warehouse has a team of more than 50 grow professionals and offers GrowGeneration an additional 35,000 square feet of space in four facilities for GrowGeneration, Lampert said.

Grow Warehouse has annual sales of around $ 20 million. In 2020, the company reported sales of $ 192 million, an increase of 140% over 2019. With the new branches, GrowGeneration expects sales of between 335 and 350 million US dollars for this year.

Grow Warehouse’s team of cultivation experts will join the GrowGeneration team of nearly 500 growers.

“Since its inception, Grow Warehouse has worked to bring the level of service, products and knowledge in the hydroponics industry to the level of quality that Grow Generation is known for. Grow Warehouse couldn’t be happier to join the GrowGen family,” said Mark Rees, General Manager of Grow Warehouse.

More: Marijuana sales in Pueblo are increasing, reflecting the trend across the country

GrowGeneration carries and sells thousands of products including organic nutrients and soils, advanced lighting technology, and state-of-the-art hydroponic equipment that can be used both indoors and outdoors by commercial and home growers.

The opening times in the two local shops are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Chief reporter Tracy Harmon covers business and Fremont County news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or on Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps.