Our History
GAZE SEED Co.
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.
Growing with the times
More than just seeds
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.
From Buchanan to Harbour
Always in downtown St. John's, our original store was located on Water Street.
We then moved onto Buchanan Street, and finally to Harbour Drive in 2019, where we are today.
Then
Now
One Stop Shop
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.
Today
Growing forward
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.
For the Rubber Boot Gardener
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.
