WHITE ROSE TO LOOK AT STRATEGY
By Adnews Staff
White Rose Crafts and Nursery Sales Ltd. of Markham, Ont. is starting to feel the crunch of competition, but its planning to do something about it. The craft and nursery retailer announced this week that it plans to review its strategic direction to improve its profitability. The review will examine ways to improve operating efficiencies and the appearance of its retail locations. White Rose's major competitors are Michael's and Wal-Mart on the craft side, and small independent nurseries, as well as grocery stores and hardware stores with nursery components, such as Home Depot, on the nursery side. Vice-president and chief financial officer Lynn Jolliffe would not speculate on what options are available to White Rose. In addition, she would not speculate on what changes, if any, would be made to White Rose's advertising, or if an agency would be hired to handle it. Currently, advertising for White Rose is handled in-house. White Rose operates 42 retail locations in Ontario and Quebec. It also owns two Ontario farms in Sandoon and Wellington.