Your source for irrigation system parts and landscape materials in the Central Okanagan
Van-Kel Landscape and Irrigation in Kelowna is the place to go when it comes to the look of your home’s outdoor spaces. The long-established store — located on Pinto Road at the northern end of the city — carries everything you need for irrigation systems as well as for landscape lighting.
With an extensive inventory of irrigation system parts, as well as landscape items such as retaining wall blocks, cement pavers, landscape lighting systems and parts, the store caters to both homeowners and contractors alike.
“We carry just about all of it,” says Dennis Teramura, profit centre manager at the Kelowna Van-Kel Landscape and Irrigation store. In operation since 1968, the store recently expanded its outside yard space to provide even more inventory for its customers. With building in the Okanagan Valley booming in recent years, the demand for irrigation systems and parts has increased tremendously, says Teramura.
“When I started, so much of the land was orchards,” he says. Back then, the company’s business was mainly with farmers and golf courses. But the huge increase in housing, and warmer, drier summers has led to a three-fold increase in residential customers; now they account for almost half of Van-Kel’s business.
This demand also prompted the company to expand into the supply of landscape materials, such as retaining wall blocks and pavers. Featuring different patterns and colours, the blocks and pavers can be used to create visually pleasing landscaping on your property.
In recent years, the store has also added landscape lighting to its offerings. Lighting has seen great technological improvements over the years and that has led to a myriad of lighting possibilities available to the customer. According to Teramura, LED lights have made a huge difference, allowing users to not only get much more life out of their lighting products but also have the flexibility of different-coloured lighting to suit the style the homeowner wants.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Teramura said business at the store has increased as many people are spending much more time at home and deciding to improve their outdoor spaces — both with irrigation systems and landscaping.
Supplying products that are popular with both contractors and homeowners, Van-Kel Landscape and Irrigation continues to be a favourite with customers and their irrigation and landscape material needs.
The company is a division of EMCO Corp., a national supplier and distributor of plumbing and irrigation parts and systems. Teramura, who has 36 years of experience in the industry and has been with Van-Kel for 29 of those years, said his team at the Kelowna store brings a wealth of experience in helping its customers. Customers, he said, are more like family to them.
“We don’t just sell things, we also like to educate people, too,” he said, describing his staff as teachers as well as salespeople when it comes to irrigation systems and landscape products.
“We are very much a team.”
So, when looking for irrigation system parts, advice or landscape materials, see the experts at Van-Kel Landscape and Irrigation. The store is located at 101-199 Pinto Road and is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Contact the store by phone at 250 807-3400 or by email at info@vankel.ca. More information is available at the company’s webpage www.vankel.ca.
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