J&K Llamas Nursery Closes After 36 Years in Business

Jerry and Kathy Whitten Llamas have made the difficult decision to close J&K Llamas Landscape & Nursery, Inc. and Gift Shop after 40 wonderful years of operation. They plan to semi-retire by ending the nursery business to the public on July 3 and focus on lawn care services throughout the remainder of this season.

Raised in lawn and nursery care by his father, Jerry Llamas Sr., it was inevitable that Jerry would start his own business. He initially planned to move to Reno, but meeting Kathy in 1988 changed his plans. They married and started J&K Llamas Landscape & Nursery at their home on Mt. View Drive in 1989. Over time, they expanded until the business occupied nearly an entire block. Eventually, Kathy suggested moving to a larger location due to their growth.

The Llamas’ started their business while both still worked full-time, Jerry at NAS Fallon and Kathy as a nurse at Banner Hospital. Once the business required full-time attention, Jerry began working at the store. Their three children learned a strong work ethic early, helping Jerry with tasks before school. He joked that his son worked harder than the girls on projects, which might have traumatized him. 

“I loved riding with him while he mowed lawns, learning the value of hard work and customer service through my very first job,” said daughter Krista. “We had the business name on the backs of all my sports team uniforms and I watched how a small business can make a big impact in its community.”

J&K Llamas Landscape & Nursery opened its doors on the Reno Highway in 2004 after purchasing the property in 2003. It was fully licensed, insured and bonded to care for developing properties. A few years later, they expanded their business once again from 2.25 acres to 3.50 acres to accommodate growth. They added bulk bins, a larger area for trees and ornamental plants, and added a maintenance shop for the lawn care service. 

For the next 21 years, Jerry and Kathy made the nursery an important part of Fallon’s growth by landscaping properties, installing sprinkler systems, and customizing each property to the owner’s specifications.

As time progresses and life evolves, many individuals learn the importance of family. The desire to spend more time with their children, grandchildren, relatives and each other – whether vacationing to their dream location Italy, going to Mexico, or taking their RV and traveling – led them to make the difficult decision to bid farewell to JK Llamas Landscape & Nursery. They plan to keep Fallon as their home as they step into the next chapter of their lives.