At least three companies involved with backyard lifestyles made Inc. magazine's 2002 listing of the 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies.

Aquascape Designs Inc. of Batavia, Ill., made the Inc. 500 list for the fourth consecutive year. The magazine ranks the 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies that submit their financial information, including tax returns, to the annual competition.

Gold Crest Distributing recently moved to a new location that enables the company to have its warehouse and retail sales under one roof. (Photo of Mel Toellner provided by Gold Crest Distributing)

Gold Crest Distributing of Mexico, Mo., ranked 168 on the Inc. 500 list.

Gold Crest, a distributor of birding products and supplies, grew 1,232 percent over the five-year period, with sales of $469,000 in 1997 growing to $6,249,000 in 2001. During that time, its employee count went from two to 13.

To be eligible for the contest, applicants must be independent and privately held, provide tax forms and financial statements from CPAs, have had sales of at least $200,000 in 1997, and have shown a sales increase in 2001 over 2000.

Gold Crest distributes more than 5,000 SKUs to more than 1,400 customers and provides order fulfillment for 34 Web sites and catalogs.

The company also manufactures the All-Weather Feeder (formerly called the Feather Feeder) and the Songbird Essentials line of brushes, seed scoops, Nectar Protector ant deterrent and thistle sacks.

The company also makes private label versions for Wild Bird Centers, a major customer.

As of October 2002, the company also operated two Songbird Station retail stores in Columbia and Mexico, Mo. In 2001 and 2002, the company had also leased a mall kiosk at the Columbia Mall for holiday shopping during November and December.

Vienna, Va.-based Tilson Landscape Co., a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, ranked No. 427 on the Inc. 500 list. Financial data for Tilson were not available at press time.