Smith & Hawken Catalog Founder to Deliver Organic Bouquet

Catalog veteran Dave Smith is back. The cofounder of gardening supplies cataloger/retailer Smith & Hawken is now president/cofounder of Organic Bouquet, a marketer of organic flowers. The fledgling business, which started with a wholesale division and began shipping organic tulips early this month, is set to launch a print catalog this spring.

“We are developing our own direct catalog/Internet business that will be targeted to the b-to-b corporate gift market,” Smith says. “Our plans are to mail our first catalog in time for Mother’s Day.”

Besides its direct business, Novato, CA-based Organic Bouquet will sell to food stores, such as Whole Foods, nationwide. “And beginning this fall and early 2003, we will offer drop-ship programs with major online florists and other catalog and Web companies, primarily for consumer gifts,” Smith says.

Smith founded Smith & Hawken with Paul Hawken in 1979. In 1993 they sold the company to CML Group, which included the Nature Co. catalog/stores and the NordicTrack exercise equipment business. In February 1999, CML sold Smith & Hawken to Wellesley, MA-based investment firm DDJ Capital and the Madison-based State of Wisconsin Investment Board.