My mother and I opened the flower shop in 1977, literally on a shoestring.  We had a cooler in which to put cut flowers, a few plants and hired one employee who taught us how to "arrange flowers."  There was not another flower shop in that area and as word got out about us, we began to make a few sales a day.  We operated on a handshake and the customer's word that he would pay us at the end of the month.  We had 30 day charges because credit cards were just coming in in 1977.

 

We had figured that we had to sell just $35 a day to meet our expenses which we did after only one month.  We continued to grow, buying more equipment and supplies as we went along.  In 1990, I bought the business from my mother and moved it to another location.  In 1996, I moved to the final location which was much needed as far as more square feet and a great place in the heart of Waco commercial district.

 

At that time I had 2 fulltime and 3 parttime employees.  It was truely a family business in that my daughter worked in the business and my 2 granddaughters grew up in the flower shop.  My son helped out on holidays as well as other family members.  We had many rose de-thorning parties the night before Valentine's day in which loyal friends that had "day jobs" would come at night to help. 

 

In 2007, at the onstart of the recession in our economy, the business began to be more a burden than a success and it was time to do something else.  With my husband's retirement and my interest in wanting to spend more time at the house in the country we had recently built, I decided to move my flower shop to my home.  With only a prayer in our favor we moved everything to our home and in January 2007, I was still "open for business."  Telling my 1 fulltime employee that had been with me for 20 years of my plan which would not include her in the move was the hardest part.  I operated out of my garage until my husband built a small shop for me alongside my home.

 

 

 

My loyal customers continue to call me for their floral needs, and my business is almost what it was when I had the shop in "town."   I feel very fortunate that I have been able to work in a business that I love for 30 years and to be around the most beautiful of God's creations--flowers every day.