Art Knapp

Who was Art Knapp?

Arthur William Knapp, better known as Art Knapp, was a Canadian businessman and entrepreneur. Art Knapp is best known as the founder of the Art Knapp's chain of garden stores. Knapp was born in Cobble Hill, British Columbia and was the son of William Knapp and Zoe Saunders Knapp. As Knapp's mother died in childbirth, he was raised by his paternal aunt and uncle, Phyllis Knapp Jennings and William Jennings of Victoria, British Columbia. According to documents held at the Saanich Archives, the Knapp's and Jennings families, which included Frank Jennings and Elizabeth Walkden Jennings, all immigrated to Canada together from England on the ship RMS Empress of Britain in 1911. The same documents reveal that the family had an extensive background in horticulture and operated green houses in Victoria.

Art Knapp founded the Knapp's Victoria Nurseries at 716 Fort Street in the early 1940s. This store later relocated to Yates Street by 1945. He later started auctioning plants, trees and shrubs from the back of his truck in empty lots around British Columbia and Alberta in the early 1950s.