About Evergreen

Home » About Evergreen

EVERGREEN OF JOHNSON CITY’S
MISSION STATEMENT

Evergreen of Johnson City strives for excellence in all areas of our products and services. We judge our success, both as a business and as a contributing member of our community, by the success of our customers in their gardening, horticultural and landscaping efforts.

Whenever and wherever possible, we hope to share our heritage of creating beauty through gardening with our customers and, in turn, with their families and communities.

Evergreen of Johnson City is “Your Home Grown, Family-Owned Garden Center”

THE FOUNDER’S STORY

founders storyAuke & Sarah Valk came to the United States in 1950 after their home in Holland had been ravished by the German armies during World War II. C. P. Edwards selected Auke and Sarah, along with two other Dutch families, to share in his dream for success.

The first four years were trying, but after hard work and dedication to family, honesty, and church, the Valk’s constructed a small retail garden center called Ridgefields Garden Center in downtown Kingsport. Another store was built in the early 60’s in Johnson City, but when Edward’s empire began to fade in the mid-60’s, the second location was abandoned. In 1966, because of the Valk’s hard work, Mr. Edwards sold the company to them, and Evergreen Garden Center was founded.

In the summer of 1967, the Valk family constructed their new location on Industry Drive in Kingsport, Tennessee. Tremendous retail growth followed, and in 1973, construction started on the Kingsport location previously located on Riverport Road. In October 1975, Evergreen opened the doors of what is now the previous Kingsport Evergreen location.  Aggressive purchasing included greenhouse plants, shrubs and trees, foliage plants, hard-good lines, and a complete landscape service. Again, Evergreen experienced phenomenal sales and internal growth. By this time, Auke, Sarah, and their four sons were involved in the day-to-day operations.

In the summer of 1983, Evergreen purchased land in Johnson City and their second location was opened – Evergreen of Johnson City.