Bill Martin’s Nurseryland in Thunder Bay has undergone more change than most garden centres in its 95-year history. In fact, when the business started in 1927, it was perhaps in the exact opposite industry: coal.
In the 1940s, coal gave way to oil and Bill changed the name to Bill Martin Fuels and Enterprises, swapping coal wagons for oil trucks. It was about this time that Bill’s daughter, Lena, and then Bill Jr. started working for the company, launching what would become a family legacy. It also meant the company had enough capacity to diversify. Since heating fuels naturally had its busy period in the winter, the summers were wide open. Bill Sr.
By the early 1970s, Bill Jr. decided to sell the fuel business altogether and began to focus on gardening only. Bill Martin’s Nurseryland opened in 1975 near the corner of John Street and Court with two greenhouses to become the SoGreen retailer in the area. From the beginning, Cathy felt it was important to specialize in plants that would grow well in Thunder Bay.