RUSTBURG, VA - Campbell County Economic Development is pleased to announce Homegrown Garden Supply LLC has received a $5,000 Start Small Campbell Grant. Entrepreneur DeShea Witcher and his mother Doshie Witcher received the congratulations of Campbell County Altavista District Supervisor Tom Lawton, Altavista Mayor Reggie Bennett and Economic Development staff for the award at the retail store’s location in Altavista.
Homegrown Garden Supply opened its doors in May 2024 at 823 Main Street, Suite A in downtown Altavista. The store is open Wednesday through Sunday and customers can also order online for shipping or curbside pickup. They specialize in organic and non-toxic gardening supplies, offering everything from soil, compost, and fertilizers to grow tents, seeds, and hydroponic supplies. DeShea Witcher and business partners Greg Pannell and Ashley Witcher pride themselves on curating a product line that caters to all types of gardening, from hobbyists to advanced growers. Typical customers include home gardeners, hobbyists, and organic enthusiasts. By focusing exclusively on organic and non-toxic products, and offering expert advice and personalized service, Homegrown Garden Supply sets itself apart from larger chain retailers.
One of the immediate benefits of the Start Small Campbell Grant funding was the ability to add a high-demand product line to their shelves. “We were able to bring in Build-A-Soil, which has a huge following on YouTube and a lot of people have been asking about it,” says Witcher. “We were able to bring in that entire line.”
Witcher says this grant also allows them to replenish some of their stocked items. “When you are a small business, you have to spend a lot of money with some of these wholesalers,” he says, “It allowed us to pay that off and have that ready for spring.”
The Start Small Campbell Grant Program is available to new businesses in Campbell County. As part of the grant application, business owners receive entrepreneurial training and develop a business plan with financial projections that show the viability of the business over several years. Homegrown Garden Supply is the ninth business to receive the grant since Campbell County began funding the program in 2021.
Witcher found value in going through the application process itself, describing how “the whole process of the business plan and the financial forecast really makes you sit down and think through every step of the way. The average person might say ‘Oh they’ve got a ton of rules that you’ve got to follow,’ but to me, I just felt like it made me a better business owner. Being able to understand it all the way through. It was a good learning opportunity.”
Another step in the application process is a one-on-one business plan review. Witcher took advantage of the in-town option to go to the Spark Innovation Center and work with Autumn Evans there for his consultation. “I think this grant demonstrates the town and county working together to make things happen,” says Lawson.
Before opening, Homegrown Garden Supply received a Façade Grant through the town’s Main Street America organization, Altavista on Track. Mayor Bennett expressed his pleasure at seeing this small business come to the Main Street corridor and his hope to see more small businesses open in the future.
Entrepreneurs considering applying for grant’s spring 2025 round can register for the Start Small Campbell Grant Info Session, which will be held at Timbrook Library on February 25th at 6:30pm. This information session provides valuable advice and guidance and includes a question-and-answer period to help make the application process easier. The info session is optional, but registration is required so materials can be prepared. There is no fee to attend. The registration form is located on the Campbell County Economic Development website: campbellvirginia.com.
For more information about the Start Small Campbell Grant Program or the Info Session, visit CampbellVirginia.com, call (434) 332-9643, or email Business Programs Coordinator Claude Dixon at cadixon@co.campbell.va.us.