Family Tree Garden Center Continues to Thrive, Plans Museum
The Pike family legacy lives on in this garden center as daughter Dana Pike-Van Vlake adds her own personal element.
The Family Tree Garden Center, located in the building that once housed Pike’s Nursery, is not as far removed from its roots as one might think. The owner, Dana Pike-Van Vlake, is actually the daughter of Pete Pike, the founder of Pike Nurseries. The store on Highway 78, built in 1976 by Dana's brother and uncle, was the eighth store the family owned. Dana still on occasion refers to it as “#8.” Plants weren’t always Dana’s passion, although they arguably are now. She grew up working at Pike’s with her family, and like most teenagers, wasn’t too thrilled about that. “I grew up pulling wagons, potting plants, growing them,” she said. “When I was in high school, I was a cashier at the stores.” After she graduated from Tucker High School, she…
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