Garten Marketplatz still provides a peaceful atmosphere after 25 years
Jun. 8—ROCHESTER — Just outside of Rochester lies a peaceful area filled with blooming flowers and birds chirping.
Even though Garten Marketplatz is celebrating its 25th anniversary, many residents of Rochester do not even know it exists. The house was constructed in 1858 and had remained in the same family until the last members moved out of state.
Sue and Randy Lantz, and Pete Rupprecht bought the house and land with two others who have now retired and turned Garten Marketplatz into what it is today, with a range of uses from a perennial farm to an event center hosting occasions such as graduation parties and weddings nearly every weekend this summer.
"When we first opened 25 years ago, we had no thought in our minds that people were going to start coming to us and wanting to do events here," Sue Lantz said. "But it happened right away the next year. We had one greenhouse. And of course, on the day of the wedding, it rained. We had to empty the entire greenhouse and decorate it for that wedding."
After years of trial and error, the owners decided it was time to add onto the original house to provide more options for their events. One of the major remodels made was the addition to the carriage house in 2019. The carriage house is heated and cooled, has several bathrooms, contains a bridal suite and is completely wheelchair accessible. It also helps host events year round.
One thing that has remained constant throughout the 25 years of operation is the Garten Marketplatz motto.
"Our motto is come as guests leave as friends and that's really what happens," said Elsa Clay, daughter of Sue and Randy Lantz. "We want people to walk away from whatever they do here, whether it's an event or they're shopping for plants, we want them to walk away and feel like, 'Wow, those people really care about me,' and 'Wow, I felt so welcomed in that space, and I want to come back and I want to bring a friend.'"
The owners have also worked hard to maintain the peaceful environment the countryside provides. Most days the only sounds that can be heard are birds chirping or water coming from the hose. Every once in a while, a tractor will go by.
"If a tractor goes by during the ceremony, that's good luck and it does happen," Sue Lantz said.
Usually it's a neighbor from down the road but the Lantzs and Rupprechts believe it's part of Garten Marketplatz charm. It's that charm that has kept them in business for 25 years.
Garden Marketplatz is also more than an event center. It's a gift shop, a garden center, and a perennial farm.
"You can come out here and almost make an afternoon of it," said Josh Rupprecht, son of Pete Rupprecht. "You're not just shopping for perennials. You're walking through the gardens, checking out the gift shop and, if we have some food or drink here, you're sipping that and eating that while you're looking for plants."
Garten Marketplatz also has one of the largest selections of perennials in the area. People come from the cities, northern Minnesota and even out of stage for their selection of perennials.
For the 25th anniversary of being open, Garten Marketplatz will host a weekend-long event with food trucks, live music, raffle drawings and much more on June 10-11, 2023. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
"We have a lot of customers from 25 years ago, but we're excited for new people everyday," Clay said. "We get people out here who say we didn't know you're here. We're so excited. And so this is a chance for us to meet new people. We're really excited."
