Trees Unlimited TO FLOURISH AND GROW Trees Unlimited continues to serve with success in Hampshire

By: Kelley White

For over 30 years, Trees Unlimited has been working to make landscapes come alive in Hampshire and the surrounding areas.

Owned and operated by Curt and Marilee Pfaffinger, the company began in 1991 with one tree spade truck and has since grown to provide a full range of landscaping services.

Both Curt and Marilee were born and raised in Hampshire, and Curt’s family has a long history in the village.

“My parents were born here, my grandparents were born here, and many generations before them were from Hampshire. I was born here and have lived on the same property where they farmed,” Curt said.

As co-owners, Curt handles the landscaping end of the business and Marilee manages the office. When they started the business, they focused mainly on selling and planting trees.

“At that time, trees were overstocked in the nurseries, so (Curt) was able to make a business out of selling these trees and installing them for customers,” Marilee said.

The business grew, and the couple added two more tree spade trucks to accommodate larger trees. The company continued to grow and evolve steadily over the years, incorporating more services to meet the needs of their customers.

“After the first few years, we started landscaping work and selling mulch,” he said. As the company grew, and new housing developments were being built, the company moved into lawn seeding and sodding for builders in the area.

During the economic recession of the mid 2000s, when building stopped, the business evolved again to incorporate tree work that was in demand at the time. When the country began to come out of the economic downturn, demand for services like landscaping started to grow and the company began to widen their services in that area.

“We started doing more commercial work, providing services like lot clearing, heavy mowing, erosion control, and restoration. We also started processing our own mulch,” Curt said.

Some of their projects nowadays involve working around green rules and regulations, promoting sustainability and environmental support.

“A lot of the projects today have requirements they need when it comes to native grasses and trees,” he said. The green industry has become important to villages, park districts, etc.

Trees Unlimited serves a wide array of residential, commercial and industrial clientele covering a 20-mile radius. The owners believe their work can have an influence on making things better for the community they call home.

“Being a full-service landscape contractor, it’s about helping people live in a safe and livable environment, as well as providing a service to Hampshire residents and the surrounding communities.”

For the Pfaffingers, serving the Hampshire community is like serving family.

“Since we both grew up here, it’s fun to be able to provide a service to the people we know as well as the new residents moving in,” Marilee said “It is great to have a business in your hometown and have a sense of community.”

As Hampshire continues to grow, so does Trees Unlimited.

“Growth is good and it is neat that people are coming into town and loving Hampshire. There is a lot of good reminiscing that can be done and I love Hampshire. It is a convenient place to live, but it still has that small-town feel,” Marilee said.

As a business, Trees Unlimited joined the Chamber of Commerce around 1996 and has supported the organization ever since. “We don’t always get to all of their functions, but we do try to stay a member and put our ad into the guide with the other local businesses. It’s good to utilize and support business in one’s own community,” says Pfaffinger.

“We try to stay connected with what’s going on and their functions in town. If there is something we can provide to help better the community, it’s very satisfying.”