Ballwin Flower Shops

Ballwin MO News

Jan 26, 2018

Does true love exist? These florists convinced us it does.

Sue Anne and Kevin Clark, of Ballwin. “Most men think I’m nuttier than a fruitcake,” Clark, of Ballwin, said. “My father always said if you appreciate the woman you marry, you should treat her as such.”The flower, immortalized by poets and embraced by lovers, has withstood the test of time as a symbol of devotion and affection. But local floral shops have taken big hits in the changing economy. Large online companies gather orders and farm them out to local suppliers, taking their own cut. Grocery stores and warehouse clubs also sell cut-rate bouquets. The number of retail florists in the U.S. has dropped more than 50 percent since a peak in the early 1990s, according to U.S. Census data. In 1992, there were 27,341 retail florists. By 2015, there were 13,419.Surviving brick-and-mortar floral shops are a testament to the relationships formed over a simple blossom — between givers and receivers, buyers and sellers.Matt Hrebec, 60, of Grover, remembers when he met his girlfriend five years ago. He was immediately smitten. She works in the infant room of a private school. He figured if she had flowers in her room at school, she would think of him every time she saw them. Plus, he reasoned that it might make the room smell more fresh when there were diapers to change. +9 Carrie Brewer and Matt Hrebec, of Grover. Every Monday, he goes to a florist, orders a bouquet and takes it to her work.“And, I’m a pretty frugal guy, all around,” he said. “But I’m just crazy about her.”He always includes a note with the delivery.Eventually, he took Carrie Brewer, 56, to meet the flor... (STLtoday.com)