As October sets in and the leaves change from vivid shades of green to variations of warm auburn, it is time to unbead the flowers, rake up some leaves, and set out your pumpkins. According to Statista data of “Pumpkin Production from 2001 to 2020”, Americans invest about 687 million dollars in over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins every year. These pumpkins can be found at most grocery stores and several home-good stores. However, unlike the rest of Americans, Berkley citizens will spend their money, assured that they’re carving and decorating with the highest quality pumpkins from the local area.
To do so, I have scoured the community for the best pumpkin shops within a 5 mile radius. Based on the criteria of price, quality, variety, and overall atmosphere of the experience, I analyzed the pumpkins from the Garden Center, Westborn, Trader Joe’s, and Meijer Woodward Corner.
Based on the atmosphere, the Garden Center is definitely number one on the list. Now, the name might ring unclear, but the rows of bright orange pumpkins and various barrels of hay lined across Woodward are surely a familiar site. Across from the Roseland Park Cemetery and next to the UPS store, spreads the Garden Center with its pumpkin-patch like layout. Across the front, you can see weaves of hay and corn stalks twisted into the wooden stands that are staked into the hay-matted ground and filled with pumpkins. As you trail across the fall-like scenery, there are nothing but rows of various pumpkins, corn stalks, and flowers. Unlike the other four stores, the Garden Center specializes in pumpkins and gords, making the surroundings entirely festive for your pumpkin-picking activity.
Additionally, since the Garden Center exclusively sells pumpkin products, it offers the best quality and variety of them. When it comes to pumpkins, quality is largely based on quantity, or rather quantity of quality pumpkins. Meaning that you can always find at least one perfect pumpkin in the bunch, but at the Garden Center you can close your eyes, spin around five times, grab one rolled underneath the stands, and I can almost guarantee it will be practically perfect. Whether your pumpkin of choice is the size of an infant or that of a boulder, they have your size existing in the purest orange color without discoloration or damage. Even if you like an odd oval or round circle, all your preferences are on display awaiting selection.
In terms of price, Trader Joe’s has the cheapest medium-sized orange carving pumpkins at a price of $3.99 per pumpkin. Followed by Woodward corner at a dollar difference of $4.99 each. Next, would be Westborn with $9 per medium orange pumpkin, or $13 for specifically carving pumpkins. Most expensive of the bunch is the Garden Center, ranging from $12-$20, but if you splurge towards a price in the upward teens, you will be carving a pumpkin almost double the size of its competitors.
Additionally, although most of us will be buying the hefty orange pumpkins, there are many who are in search of a more decorative kind, or mini. Some may even be in search of the perfect pie making pumpkin. In that case, the least and most expensive stores do not remain consistent and we must understand the variety each store provides. The medium size multi-color pumpkins can be found everywhere, but Woodward Corner, with the cheapest being $7 each at Westborn. Adding on, all stores carry mini pumpkins (orange, white, tiger stripe) and gorges, but Trader Joe’s has the best deal for $.69 each. Finally, if you’re looking to bake a pie, your pumpkin needs will be met by only a select few stores: Trader Joe’s ($1.99) and The Garden Center ($3.99). Due to the fact that Woodward Corner does not carry pie or medium-sized multi-colored pumpkins, they have the least amount of variety, as well as the smallest selection of products on display. On the contrary, Garden Center and Trader Joe’s have the largest variety of pumpkins ranging in all different breeds. However, Trader Joe’s has more products than Woodward Corner, but both the Garden Center and Westborn have more than Trader Joe’s. Between Westborn and the Garden Center, Garden Center dominates in quantity with a field full of their products.
Therefore, the Garden Center is number one in atmosphere, variety, and quality, while Trader Joe’s takes the cheapest price per average type of pumpkin. After surveying these places and examining their pumpkins from top to bottom, I can confidently say that the Garden Center is worth the extra couple dollar investment for a variety of quality pumpkins and an authentically designed: autumn and pumpkin-patch themed selection.

WestBorn
$9 medium orange
$13 carving pumpkin (large)
$7 Heirloom (multi-color)
$1.49/lb of mini white/tiger stripe and gorges

Trader Joe’s
$7.99 each multicolor medium
$4 each orange medium
$.69/each mini white and orange pumpkin and gorges
$1.29/each tiger stripe
$1.99/each pie pumpkin

Woodward Corner
$5 carving pumpkin medium
$5.99 bundle of gorges and mini orange
$1.99/each tiger stripe

Garden Center
3 for $1.99 mini orange
2 for $3.99 mini white and tiger striped
Pie $3.99
Multicolor big 10-15
Gourges 3 for $4.99
Big orange 12-20
Pumpkin bin $5
HUGE orange $70