This Family-Run Farm And Garden Supply Has Been Serving Generations In New Jersey For Over 115 Years

That gravel driveway and the two dogs roaming loose are your first clue. This place is not a chain.

It is a New Jersey family legacy that started as a general store in the 1880s, complete with its own post office.

The Buicks are long gone, but the garden center, gift shop, and pond department keep four generations of knowledge alive.

You can grab unique plants, load up on mulch at contractor prices, and still have time to browse the Christmas shop in July.

The expert advice comes with every purchase. That is how small town business has survived for over a century.

How It All Began

Some businesses have a history. This one has a story that stretches all the way back to 1885, when a small general store called Morton and Haines first opened its doors in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.

Back then, the shop sold groceries and farmers’ supplies, stocked farm equipment, and even housed the Parry Post Office inside its walls.

That is the kind of origin story that makes you stop and think. A post office, a general store, and farm gear all under one roof sounds like the entire town ran through those doors on a weekly basis.

And honestly, it probably did.

What started as a humble community hub slowly evolved into something much bigger over the decades. The building grew, the products changed, and the family adapted, but the heart of the place stayed exactly the same.

Knowing that some of the original scales from that 1885 general store are still in use today makes the whole experience feel surprisingly personal and deeply connected to the land.

The Family Behind the Name

Running a business for one generation is impressive. Keeping it thriving through four is something else entirely.

Haines Farm and Garden Supply is currently in its fourth generation of family ownership, with Todd Perkins and his wife Beth leading the operation today.

Todd’s father, Harry Perkins, owned the business until 2010 and lived a full 93 and a half years, which feels like proof that surrounding yourself with good soil and honest work does something right for the soul. The Perkins family did not just inherit a store; they inherited a responsibility to an entire community.

That sense of duty shows up everywhere you look at Haines. The staff feels like neighbors, the layout feels familiar even on a first visit, and the products reflect genuine care rather than corporate convenience.

Family-owned businesses have a heartbeat that big-box stores simply cannot replicate, and every corner of this place pulses with exactly that kind of warmth and lived-in character.

From Buick Dealership to Garden Center

At some point in the business’s long history, a Buick dealership was added to the mix. Yes, you read that correctly.

Haines Buick was a real thing, and it existed alongside the farm supply operation in a combination that feels wonderfully unexpected.

Eventually, the cars gave way to carnations, and the dealership transitioned into what the business is today: a full garden center, gift shop, and pond department. That kind of flexibility across more than a century of changing markets is genuinely rare.

Most businesses struggle to pivot once; this family did it across generations.

Today, standing among rows of vibrant annuals and perennials, it is almost impossible to picture the same lot filled with shiny automobiles. But that layered history is part of what makes Haines so fascinating to visit.

Every section of the property carries echoes of something that came before, and that quiet depth makes even a simple trip for tomato plants feel like a small adventure through time.

Plants as Far as You Can See

Walking through the garden center at Haines feels a little like stepping into someone’s incredibly well-organized dream yard.

Rows of healthy annuals stretch in every direction, perennials sit in neat sections, and the vegetable seedlings look so vibrant you almost want to apologize for your own sad garden back home.

The selection goes well beyond the basics. Unusual perennials, organic offerings, premium shrubs, and specialty herbs all share space with more familiar favorites.

Everything on display looks genuinely healthy, which says a lot about how the plants are sourced and cared for before they ever reach a customer’s hands.

What sets this garden center apart from a typical big-box experience is the quality you can actually see and feel. Plants here are not afterthoughts squeezed between lumber and light bulbs.

They are the whole point, tended with real attention and offered with the kind of honest enthusiasm that only comes from people who truly love what they grow. The experience feels personal in the best possible way.

The Pond Department

Not every garden center has a dedicated pond department, and yet here it is, tucked into Haines like a cool secret waiting to be discovered.

Whether you are setting up your first water feature or troubleshooting an existing pond, this section has the supplies, the plants, and the expertise to back it all up.

The pond department carries everything from aquatic plants to treatment supplies, and the staff there brings a level of focused knowledge that makes the whole process feel approachable rather than overwhelming.

Water gardening can seem complicated at first, but having access to real guidance from people who genuinely understand the hobby makes a huge difference.

There is also something quietly meditative about browsing pond supplies surrounded by lush greenery. You start thinking about the sound of running water, the shimmer of koi, and the way a small backyard pond can completely transform outdoor living.

Haines makes that vision feel achievable, and the selection here proves that water gardening is taken seriously as its own art form at this remarkable little place.

The Gift Shop

Tucked alongside the main building, the gift shop at Haines is the kind of place that makes you forget you only came in for potting soil.

Shelves are loaded with garden-themed gifts, decorative items, locally sourced honey, and creative gift baskets that feel genuinely thoughtful rather than last-minute.

Gift baskets and potted combinations here tend to be beautiful and distinctive, the sort of thing you could bring to a housewarming and actually feel proud about.

The selection changes with the seasons, so there is always something new to discover no matter how many times you have visited before.

For anyone who loves giving gifts that feel personal and connected to something real, this shop delivers in a way that online shopping simply cannot. Everything here has a story behind it, and you can feel the care that went into curating each item.

Stopping by the gift shop at Haines is less like running an errand and more like treating yourself to a small, satisfying detour on the way to your actual shopping list.

A Holiday Tradition Since the 1970s

Every November and December, something magical happens at Haines.

The garden center transforms into what can only be described as a Christmas Wonderland, a tradition that dates all the way back to the 1970s when Todd’s mother, Peggy, first launched a holiday shop called Your Merry Christmas Shop.

Live Christmas trees, ornaments, wreaths, and seasonal decorations fill the space that usually holds annuals and perennials. Shoppers who stumble in looking for a holiday tree often end up leaving with armfuls of decorations they did not know they needed until they saw them.

There is something deeply satisfying about a Christmas shopping experience that feels rooted in community rather than commerce.

The holiday shop at Haines carries that same warm, unhurried energy that defines the rest of the property year-round.

It has become a seasonal ritual for many New Jersey families, the kind of annual outing that gets penciled into the calendar every October without a second thought. Few traditions feel as genuinely earned as this one.

Old-Fashioned Service in a Modern World

In a world where self-checkout machines have replaced half the human workforce at most retail stores, walking into a place where staff actually want to help you feels genuinely refreshing.

At Haines, that old-fashioned service ethic is not a marketing slogan; it is just how things work.

Staff members are known for answering questions with real knowledge, helping load heavy items into cars without being asked, and pointing customers toward exactly what they need rather than just what is on sale.

That kind of attentiveness is rare, and once you experience it, going back to a faceless big-box store feels like a step backward.

The business was built on community relationships, and that foundation still shows up in every interaction. Whether you are a first-time visitor asking basic questions about soil types or a seasoned gardener looking for something specific and unusual, the team here meets you where you are.

Good service has a way of making a place feel irreplaceable, and Haines has clearly understood that truth for well over a century.

Cinnaminson’s Business Spotlight

In October 2021, Haines Farm and Garden became the very first business featured in Cinnaminson Township’s Business Spotlight program. That kind of recognition does not happen by accident.

It happens because a place has spent generations showing up for its neighbors in ways that quietly matter.

Being first in that program says something about how deeply woven into the community this business has become. From housing the local post office back in the 1880s to providing plants, supplies, and holiday cheer well into the 21st century, Haines has consistently been a place people turn to when they need something done right.

Local businesses like this one are the backbone of small-town life in ways that are easy to overlook until they are gone. Haines is not gone.

It is very much alive, operating six days a week with an amazing rating earned from hundreds of real customers who keep coming back season after season. That kind of loyalty is built slowly, over generations, and it cannot be faked or fast-tracked by any amount of advertising.

What to Expect at 196 US-130

Getting to Haines is straightforward whether you are coming from Philadelphia over the Tacony or Betsy Ross Bridge, or cruising down Route 130 from anywhere in South Jersey.

The location on US-130 makes it a convenient stop that fits naturally into a day of errands or a dedicated garden outing.

The store is open Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday from 9 AM to 4 PM, giving you plenty of flexibility to plan around your schedule.

Arriving earlier in the morning tends to mean a quieter, more relaxed browsing experience, which is worth keeping in mind during the busy spring planting season.

Bring a list, but leave room for happy surprises. The selection changes with the seasons, the gift shop always has something unexpected, and the pond department might just convince you that a backyard water feature was what your life was missing all along.

Haines is the kind of place that rewards curiosity, and repeat visits always seem to turn up something new worth bringing home.

Address: 196 US-130, Cinnaminson, NJ