About Us (old)

Gaze Seed Co. was founded in 1925 by Ernest Walter Gaze and was the first store of its kind in Newfoundland. Specializing in high-quality vegetable and flower seeds, Gaze quickly became the go-to spot on the island for gardeners and farmers alike. The store also carried all sorts of soils, fertilizers, garden supplies, and even branched out to bring in exotic pets such as tropical fish and birds. 

Originally located at the west end of Water Street in downtown St. John's, the store eventually outgrew its building and relocated around the corner to 9 Buchanan Street (we are NOW located at 138 Harbour Drive). As self-sufficiency was an essential trait of then-isolated Newfoundlanders, the business did quite well by touting themselves as the "one-stop-shop" for those wanting to grow their own food.

Fast forward to today, and the store is now being run by E.W.'s great-grandson, Peter Byrne. Although Newfoundland and Labrador is now well-connected to the rest of the world and no longer dependant on local food, there is a definite surge in interest in food security and backyard farming. Byrne is evolving the business to suit the needs of this generation's "rubber boot gardeners" by bringing in new products such as organic fertilizers and locally made supplies. He is also bringing the company "back to its roots" with a renewed commitment to quality and a promise to always have something new and exciting in store.