Richard Anderson opened Anderson Tree Lot in 1960 while he was still a senior at Owensboro High School. When Wesleyan Park Plaza was built around 1964, Richard moved his tree lot just a block or so north to the new shopping center where McDonald’s currently sits. Once the fast food restaurant opened, Richard moved the lot to where it currently resides along Frederica Street.
Back then it was normal for Richard to sell nearly 3,000 trees, but that was before artificial trees made their retail debut.
Richard, who made a career as an accountant, still sold Christmas trees every season until his death in 2005. Keeping their father’s legacy alive, Keith and Kurt Anderson have operated the tree lot since 2005, making little change to their dad’s steadfast business.
“We have done it since we were old enough to be at the lot,” Kurt said. “It’s just in our blood.”
This season Kurt had 730 trees delivered the Monday before Thanksgiving — a variety of Scotch pine, vetch balsam, blue spruce, concolor fir, and his best seller, Fraser fir, which were all shipped in from Michigan. Ranging from 2 ft. to 14 ft and $35 to $250, Kurt said he has the perfect tree for anyone interested in a real tree this Christmas.
“Artificial trees are just too easy, lights already on it,” Kurt said. “There is just more tradition with a real tree.”
And the community agrees. Kurt said he served a customer over the weekend that has purchased a tree from Anderson’s for the last 30 years. And, while Kurt said he has more repeat customers than he can remember, he also has a lot of new customers who are purchasing a real tree for the first time.
“A lot of younger people are starting to get real trees,” Kurt said.
This year’s tree order included 40 more trees than last year, according to Kurt. He said this was due to consistent increased sales over the last few years and also more days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than in years past.
“Since my brother and I have taken over, there has not been one year that we haven’t sold out,” Kurt said. “And we are typically out by Dec. 15.”
According to Kurt, his only competition in Owensboro is big box stores, which he said received their trees weeks ago and will not last as long as his fresh-cut trees. But Kurt said his customers are loyal and come back to Anderson’s for a sense of tradition.
“We are sort of like an institution,” Kurt said.
