While many businesses have been forced to close over the last few months, Chuck Hafner’s Garden Center is open and business is blossoming.

“Hafner’s is one of the nicest places to buy plants and potting soil,” said Joe Fronczek, an Auburn resident.

Customers, like Fronczek, have been eager to get flowers, seeds, and potting soil. This is his third trip to Hafner’s this spring.

“I’m thankful, thankful, thankful, yes," said Fronczek. "I have a green thumb and I needed this stuff to grow with.”

The weather has improved and more people are home, so many are focused on their gardens.

This past week is one of the best week’s the business has ever seen, said the center's vice president

“I don’t think people are traveling as much and they’re planning on staying home, so they want to beautify their homes," said Jess Hafner, the vice president of Chuck Hafner’s Garden Center and Farmers Market. "Plus, right now there’s not as much to do, so gardening’s a great exercise. They can get outside, work in the yard a little bit. It’s enjoyable. It’s therapeutic.”

Hafner’s has made some changes due to the pandemic. It’s put up dividers between the cashiers and customers, added registers outside, and is cleaning more often. They're limiting the number of customers in the store.

“The line goes pretty quick but its enough so it spaces out inside the greenhouses and stuff," said Hafner. "We’re on a big parcel so once people kind of get around there’s a lot of space.”

So everyone’s green thumb stays healthy.