Check out these original and inventive shops in our region.
Village Green Home & Garden
6101 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford, (815) 877-9559, villagegreenrockford.com
This family-owned nursery and garden center has been a touchstone for nearly six decades. Founded in 1965 by Laurence Smith, it grew from a small Alpine Road storefront into one of the Midwest’s largest destinations for plants, patio furniture and home decor.
Since opening its Riverside Boulevard location in 1980, the shop has become a year-round showcase. During the holiday season, the greenhouse glows with poinsettias, evergreens and holiday planters. A showroom dazzles with silver-trimmed trees, ribboned garlands and mercury-glass ornaments…