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Retailing Flowers Profitably
A Book by Kenneth Royer
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Hannah Royer grew beautiful
African violets on the windowsill
of her home. In 1937, she began to
sell these plants at a local garment factory and area farmer's markets in order to augment the family's income. As interest grew in Hannah's plants, so did the business...
Over the next several years, used greenhouses were acquired to grow even more flowers. This was a true family business with Hannah's husband, Lester working in the greenhouses and their three children working right along-side them with various duties.
This fledgling enterprise grew through increased sales at area farmers markets and through wholesale of the flowers and plants to other retail florists in Lebanon and Lancaster County. As the retail flower business continued to grow, Lester retired from his teaching job to develop their retail flower venture by managing the greenhouses. Around 1945, following numerous requests for cut flowers, the decision was made to convert the two-car garage into a flower shop. The first flower shop was in operation! In these early days, Hannah did it all except deliveries which Kenneth Royer, one of her sons, did after school. The business grew for Hannah because she always worked to say yes to her customers. On several occasions, customers asked for special funeral arrangements to be made in shapes of horses or deer, and Hannah would always say yes, sometimes staying up all night to make the arrangement "just right".
That legacy lives on today at Connells Maple Lee flowers & gifts. We are always looking for ways to say yes to our customers' special requests and needs. In the early 1980's, Ken Royer's sons started to join him in the family business. Currently, Ken Royer is Chairman of the Board, Gregory Royer is President & CEO and Thomas Royer is Sr.Vice President & COO and Michael Royer manages the wholesale department.
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