An Inspired Path to Success:

Anewalt’s Landscape Contracting

By Karen L. Chandler

In today’s business environment, what keeps a company growing and even thriving after decades of the ups and downs owners come to expect?

Lori Anewalt believes work ethics instilled into young people are one key.

“We were taught blood, sweat, tears. Hang in there; never give up,” she said. “When the going gets tough, we get going. You never quit. When you’re in business 35 years, you’re going to hit some serious roadblocks. It would be very easy to throw the towel in if you didn’t have that inside of you, the amazing foundation of having to plow through.”

Anewalt’s Landscape Contracting had a humble beginning. When only in elementary school, Eddie Anewalt IV started a neighborhood lawn mowing service with his grandparents as his first customers. Officially founded in 1988, today’s Team Anewalt’s is spearheaded by Eddie as president, Lori as vice-president, and celebrates 35 years in business.  

Although the work ethics she and Eddie embody daily provide a foundation for Anewalt’s longevity, Lori credits other pieces of the puzzle for setting them on a path to success.

She said, “Eddie and I have complementary talents. You don’t often see that in the business world. You’re working so closely with someone that where they leave off, the other one is picking up. When we started working together full time, we could make changes we wanted because we could accomplish more together.”

And Eddie’s perseverance in completing his degree in Landscape Contracting, despite the commute to Penn State’s main campus, meant he could incorporate his studies into Anewalt’s in real time.

“We started going in a more professional direction,” Lori said. “A direction of excellence.”

More recently, Team Anewalt’s 25^th anniversary decision to begin creating “poolscapes” catapulted the company into a creative, valued direction for customers, especially those struggling with pools installed with no consideration to sun or shade, topography or design. Lori explained, “Year 25 we put the ‘poolscapes’ out there and in the last ten we molded ourselves into the business we are today.”

But how do Eddie and Lori remain inspired after decades in business?

While Team Anewalt’s continues bringing excellence to residential and commercial customers, providing professional landscape design and build services, year-round maintenance programs, and their popular Lights & Winter Décor, Lori said, “It’s Year 35, so we had to come up with something creative.”

“We want to be better stewards of our environment. We installed a butterfly garden in 2023 and we’re hoping to market it to our community to increase butterfly populations, not that we have to install the gardens, but we can help with plants,” she said. “We’re hoping to have one hundred butterfly gardens that have some connection to Anewalt’s by the end of 2024.”

Team Anewalt’s also hopes to have community members commit to planting native trees with a goal of a thousand trees planted for the same purpose by the end of 2024.

After 35 years, Eddie and Lori are inspired to build their business on excellence and the love and appreciation of their community, the outdoors, and the beauty of nature.