Staff
Saranae Kurtz
Saranae is the owner of Achin’ Back. She started the business with her husband, Randy, in 2003. Prior to opening the garden center, Saranae was a full time nurse at Phoenixville Hospital for 20+ years. She is a spectacular nurse but was ready for a change after her 3 kids graduated high school. She took some horticultural courses at Temple Ambler and was already doing the bookkeeping for Chesco Landscaping. Randy and Saranae jumped feet first into building the garden center from an empty lot. As the economy took a downturn, before the recession, the family decided it was in the family’s best interest if Saranae went back to nursing. Saranae always puts family first. She can be found spending time (every day of the week!) with her 10 grandchildren. when she’s not working at the hospital. She really is Superwoman! Sarie loves to garden. She has fond memories of her grandmother’s garden growing up in Shamokin. She loves to attract hummingbirds and enjoys the many plants in her home landscape. She loves Dogwoods, Lilacs, and Hydrangeas to name a few!
Randy Kurtz
Randy has been in the landscaping industry for over 45 years. He started Chesco Landscaping before it became the "in" thing todo. Randy taught himself the ins-and-outs of the business and had a talent for landscape designs. He took great pride in customer service and has been servicing many of the same customers year-after-year. Saranae and Randy decided to open the garden center as a business they could do once they retired. After 2 knee replacements and a hip replacement, the bionic man, Randy, has turned over the reigns at Chesco Landscaping to his son Matt. Randy now spends his time working at Achin’ Back. He loves keeping the place looking great and trimming shrubs. He’s even earned the nickname "Eddie" for Edward Scissor hands! His favorite plants are Ruby Falls Redbuds, Bloom A Thon Azaleas, and Pieris Japonicas. He also loves to work on his home landscape when he’s not at the garden center.
Kelli Yeager
Kelli is the daughter of owners, Randy and Saranae Kurtz, and manages the garden center. She has been with the family business from the start, following her graduation from the University of Massachusetts. Kelli grew up in a landscaping family and loves the many aspects of the family business, but especially loves the customers. She is a self-taught florist who also teaches most of the classes at Achin’ Back. She is married to John Yeager (whose family owns Yeager’s Farm in Phoenixville) where they reside with their three children under the age of 5. Kelli knows that someday she will have time to get back out in the garden and has resigned herself to letting her husband do the yard work for now. She loves flowers, especially Lupines after her amazing honeymoon in New Zealand. Lilacs and Hydrangeas are also some of her favorite shrubs.
Matt Schlipf
Matt has been working with the Kurtz family for over 25 years. He is an original member of the Achin’Back staff when the business opened in 2004! Don’t let modest Matt fool you,he’s been working in the landscaping and garden center industry for over 27 years. He is a wealth of knowledge and is a customer service expert. He is also very knowledgeable on lawns, grass feed and fertilizers. His favorite tree is a Ruby Falls Redbud and his 2 favorite shrubs are Goshiki Holly and Blooms truck Hydrangea. Matt has 2 children and loves to spend time with them whenever he can. His oldest son Phillip is in the Navy and stationed in Hawaii. Matt also loves to hunt and relax up in the mountains.
Robin Martin
Robin has been working part time at Achin Back for 2 years. She is our friendly weekend staff, as she works in Philadelphia during the work week. Robin has been working in the garden center industry for over 5 years. She loves gardening, people and shopping and has a passion for learning. Achin’ Back combines all of her passions! She loves all flowers and has a very green thumb,as she tends to take "dead" plants home and bring them back to life. She lives in Royers ford and loves to spend time with her son Andy and his wife, Jessica. Robin loves her kitties, too.
