As the autumn season settles in, the familiar sight of skeletons, hay bales, and pumpkins at Perino’s Home & Garden Center signals more than just the arrival of Halloween. For the 77-year-old Metairie institution, these displays mark the beginning of its most lucrative sales cycle. With a legacy spanning three generations, the family-owned nursery has transformed from a post-WWII fruit market into a regional powerhouse, reporting over $14 million in revenue in 2025.
## Cultivating Growth Through Digital Shifts
While the roots of the business are firmly planted in agriculture, the modern era of Perino’s has been defined by a strategic expansion spearheaded by the founder’s granddaughters. Since 2020, the company has seen its gross revenue climb by nearly 70%. Much of this acceleration can be attributed to a shift in consumer behavior during the pandemic, when local interest in home gardening and landscaping exploded.
To maintain this momentum in an increasingly digital retail landscape, the business has leaned into the “destination” shopping experience. By leveraging data-driven inventory management and expanding its gift shop to account for 18% of total revenue, the sisters have diversified the company’s offerings. The family notes that their ability to compete with major big-box retailers relies on high-quality, locally grown inventory—75% of which is produced at their massive 20-acre Covington farm—which creates a product better suited to the Louisiana climate than mass-shipped alternatives.
## Technology and the Modern Supply Chain
The business, however, remains grounded by the harsh realities of the global economy. As inflation and geopolitical instability have driven up shipping costs, the Perino family has had to adapt. Because they grow a significant portion of their own stock, they have successfully mitigated the logistics headaches that often plague retail nurseries. By managing their own production, they avoid the pitfalls of supply chain bottlenecks, ensuring that their high-traffic periods—such as the 1,500-customer surges seen on Black Friday—are met with a reliable supply of poinsettias, Christmas trees, and seasonal décor.
Despite their traditional roots, the family understands that future viability depends on technology and planning. In an era where online search visibility—often dictated by Google’s algorithms—can determine store foot traffic, the Perinos are focused on ensuring their brand remains a top result for local shoppers. They have embraced the role of digital discovery, acknowledging that customers today often arrive at the storefront having already researched trends and products online.
## Future-Proofing the Family Legacy
The transition of leadership has not been without its hurdles. When the current generation of five sisters joined the business, they did so after gaining diverse experience in business consulting and auditing. This professional background has been instrumental in scaling the operation to support all five members of their generation, a feat they hope to replicate for their nine children.
“We grew so that we were able to support us all,” says Emily Perino, who spent nine years in consulting before joining the business in 2019. The long-term vision is to continue this trajectory of growth to ensure the family firm remains a staple of the Metairie corridor. By balancing the “female taste” and modern management techniques they brought to the gift shop with their grandfather’s original entrepreneurial spirit, the Perino sisters have secured their place in the market. As they look toward the next chapter, the family is confident that by continuously evolving their retail strategy, they will leave plenty of room for the next generation to put down their own roots in the family business.
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