Retail space becomes KLT’s new home
By Reader Staff
The Kaniksu Land Trust has purchased Aster Garden Center, transforming the local nursery into a “mission-driven venture that supports conservation, education and community stewardship,” according to a news release.
The acquisition marks a new chapter for KLT, which has conserved thousands of acres, built many miles of community-access trails and brought hundreds of children outdoors each year, largely from an office tucked away in a business park. By relocating to Aster, KLT is moving its operations into the center of the community, making its mission more visible and accessible.
“This is where conservation and community meet every single day,” stated KLT Executive Director Katie Egland Cox. “Aster embodies our values of caring for the lands and people of the Kaniksu region, today, tomorrow, and forever.”
Aster will provide an income stream to support KLT’s programs, diversifying revenue sources and adding stability and growth to existing programs. The purchase also offers a permanent home for the organization’s staff and operations. The existing 1,200-square-foot building on the site will also undergo a remodel in order to accommodate staff offices.
Aster Garden Center’s front gate in full bloom.
Photo by Nikki Lancaster.
With a focus on pollinator-friendly, drought-tolerant, perennial and native plants, the garden center aligns directly with KLT’s mission, the nonprofit stated.
“Customers can support biodiversity and reWild their own backyards, extending conservation efforts from wild landscapes to private lands,” according to a news release. “KLT plans to continue to offer the same high-quality products and knowledgeable staff that Aster customers have come to expect, while building onto that foundation with even more opportunities for community engagement.”
KLT envisions Aster as a “third space” outside of home and work where people can gather, learn and connect. Plans include workshops, seasonal events and opportunities for volunteers and partners to contribute.
“The longtime shop cat, Kitty, will remain a fixture,” organizers promised.
For Paul and Karen Oleson, founding Aster was as much about creativity and community as it was about plants. The couple purchased two overgrown lots on Superior Street in 2015, envisioning a fresh start for both the land and themselves. What began as a 30-by-40-foot machine shop building used for storage became a vibrant garden center, developed almost entirely by their own hands.
“Stepping back after the landscaping was finished, with the vines climbing, the walls in place, the trees and greenery full, that was the most gratifying moment,” Karen stated. “It was like living inside a sculpture.”
When Aster officially opened in April 2020, just as the world shut down for COVID-19, gardening surged in popularity as people turned to their yards for comfort.
“In some ways, the timing worked in our favor,” Paul stated. “People were home, improving their living spaces, and we became a place they wanted to be.”
For the Olesons, the heart of Aster was never just about selling plants.
According to Karen, “People came not only to shop, but to talk, to connect. It mattered to us that they felt cared for.”
The Olesons’ granddaughter even painted small rocks to hand out to customers — a simple gesture that became a cherished memory.
“When we put it on the market, there were other offers, but some wanted to turn it into a dance studio or a van-lifer court,” Paul stated. “We couldn’t imagine that. We wanted Aster’s values to live on.”
The public is invited to a soft opening on Saturday, Oct. 25 during Kaniksu Folk School’s Harvest Festival gathering on site at Aster. Event details are posted on the Event page at kaniksu.org.
Aster Garden Center will reopen to the public on April 14 — coinciding with National Gardening Day — with a grand reopening celebration. More details about that event will be released in the future. For more information, visit kaniksu.org/astergarden for more info.
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