Matt and Muriel Wiggers started The Greenhouse Mall sometime in the 1970s. There was some variation of that business still operating (or was at the time of this original writing) with the name Outside in Style. I have heard it is relatives of the original owners carrying on the family tradition.

Mr. Wiggers’ Dutch accent became quite recognizable in Austin in the late 70s and 80s with his TV and radio ads, “250-0000, come see us, won’t you?”

My own personal story about this business.

Hooked On Hydroponics: A takeoff on the name – Hooked on Phonics

We took our boys to Disney World back in the mid 80s. I don’t remember that much about the usual stuff at you see there. What I was most attracted to was Epcot Center. Actually I don’t remember that much about Epcot. But I do recall the demonstration about hydroponics. I loved seeing plants growing without soil, either directly in water and plant food or pea gravel medium.

Almost immediately when we got back home I had to pour myself into building my own greenhouse and start hydroponic gardening. Of course there were books on the subject but it was well before the Internet. So I knew I had seen something like that at The Greenhouse Mall on RR 620 in Austin.

So I went there and bought a complete elaborate system. I got it home and went to work getting it set up. After a few days I was off and rolling. For the next couple of years we had some of the best garden vegetables you could ever imagine, year round. This all was done with 2 growing beds that were each about 12′ long by 3′ wide.

After awhile out of town work and other things got in the way of tending to it, anyway that hobby went by the wayside.

I reconnected a few years ago with a childhood friend that i knew in Jollyville over a half century ago. (That sure sounds like a long time ago when you say it that way)
John Nye and his family I remembered did something similar, not sure if it was hydroponics or they grew in soil. What they did was grow oats in big trays in their basement that would be carried out each day to feed show steers. I asked John about it the other day and he said that it took 7 days to grow 10″ oats. But he said it was a lot of work.

I just remember being fascinated by the whole process. I guess I, like many of us have always enjoyed seeing plants sprout and grow. It all seems like a miracle.

But $20 tomatoes seem a bit much. But they sure were good.