Maryland Hydroponics

Brian Rubin, owner of Maryland Hydroponics, is dedicated to providing gardening enthusiasts with the tools necessary for maintaining a thriving indoor garden. He has also leveraged his success with Maryland Hydroponics as a tool to inspire others to pursue their dreams. Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at the age of 35, Mr. Rubin understands the challenges faced by individuals with debilitating conditions. Mr. Rubin recently conducted a presentation through Start-Up NY, a program for aspiring entrepreneurs with disabilities sponsored by Syracuse University. Mr. Rubin gained interest in hydroponic gardening at an early age, while visiting Disneyworld’s Epcot Center with his family. During the tour, he was able to see how plants grew without soil, which fascinated him. Before founding Maryland Hydroponics, Mr. Rubin spent over a decade in the Amsterdam area, learning about the process of growing plants without soil. He then returned to the United States with a focus: to introduce this unique technique to other gardening enthusiasts through Maryland Hydroponics. Originally, Maryland Hydroponics was based in Laurel, in a small location—just 700 square feet. Since that time, the store has opened two more locations in Kensington, Maryland, and Falls Church, Virginia, and between all three storefronts occupies 4,900 square feet of retail space. The expansion reflects the enormous success of Maryland Hydroponics. Opened in 2003, the store pulled in more than $1 million in sales in its first year and continued to grow. Mr. Rubin earned the state of Maryland’s Small Business Owner with a Disability of the Year award in 2007. Maryland Hydroponics has become the premier hydroponic center in the area, offering a wide assortment gardening tools, plants and equipment at unparalleled low prices. In fact, Maryland Hydroponics offers a price-match guarantee: if a shopper finds an item for a lower price at another store, he or she needs only to bring in proof of the competitor’s pricing and Maryland Hydroponics will match it.