This is a guest post from my mom. I’ve spent the week saying farewell to a significant slice of my childhood. Today she would like to say adios to one of the threads that has woven our family together. Enjoy.
In 1980, we were a young couple struggling to raise our children and make payments on a newly purchased home. My husband had lost his job and we had started a small courier business for overnight photo developing. I crafted gift items which I sold to local stores to supplement our income. Whatever money came in we considered a blessing.
On the east side of town there lay an ethereal lakeside shopping center. One day we found ourselves there pursuing information on leasing a small kiosk for a photo booth. Could we afford the $250 a month? Suddenly stars aligned and through some smoke and mirrors we somehow managed to come into possession of not only the kiosk, but a newly abandoned flower shop, completely empty save for a very expensive built in cooler.
We were offered 3 months free. The angels smiled and the devil dared us. Could we do it? Bet your ass we were going to try. This was the chance of a lifetime. A month of garage sales and some serious scavenging netted us about $500 and lots of salvaged materials, including lots of discarded wooden delivery boxes (similar to soda crates).
My husband was quite creative and a pretty good carpenter and I was artsy-fartsy. A store was born. What emerged was a funky, eclectic, ahead-of-its-time bucket shop. We sold houseplants and small bunches of flowers bought directly from the farm. The ladies at the next door nail parlor loved taking a bunch of posies home.
Over the next four years posies evolved into arrangements and custom dried flower decor (we wasted nothing). We worked long, hard hours and as a reward were offered an upgraded shop on the other side of the artificial lake. The two of us collaborated to create a unique shop unlike any other. We added hand crafted folk art and gift items and incorporated thrift shop finds and antiques into our designs. Word spread. We were “Martha” before “Martha” was popular.
Sean and his sister grew up and worked in our family shop. They developed their art and people skills. The store enabled us to have a comfortable lifestyle in the 90′s, but we never forgot our humble beginnings and our children learned the value of hard work.
Changes in the flower industry and economy have necessitated the closure of this beautiful shop. It is the end of an era. I will always have wonderful and humorous anecdotes of Rainbows. The store is gone, but never the memories. I painfully say goodbye to a place that brought happiness to the community for almost three decades.
It will be nostalgically remembered and sorely missed.
Margaret
(WD note: These “art” skills my mom is talking about included forcing my sister and I to make corn husk dolls. Yup, I said corn husk dolls. We both still love her anyway.)
About Sean Platt
A lovely goodbye to a family heirloom.
A lovely goodbye to a family heirloom.
Thanks for sharing this. I always love stories about family-run small businesses. They’re so inspiring! The first and last honest American dream! Also, now I can see where Sean gets at least some of his flair for storytelling. ; )
Thanks for sharing this. I always love stories about family-run small businesses. They’re so inspiring! The first and last honest American dream! Also, now I can see where Sean gets at least some of his flair for storytelling. ; )
What a lovely way to celebrate years of happiness, hard work and creativity, looking back and savouring the highlights like this. You’ve given your kids a gift that money can’t buy.
(I know this isn’t connected to the rainbow/flower shop theme, but I just wanted to tell you that the image of Sean as a wee boy making a collage out of lingerie pictures ripped from magazines is one that will stay with me forever!! Writer Dad’s Mom is cool!)
What a lovely way to celebrate years of happiness, hard work and creativity, looking back and savouring the highlights like this. You’ve given your kids a gift that money can’t buy.
(I know this isn’t connected to the rainbow/flower shop theme, but I just wanted to tell you that the image of Sean as a wee boy making a collage out of lingerie pictures ripped from magazines is one that will stay with me forever!! Writer Dad’s Mom is cool!)
Oh, the last few posts about the store are so sad.. it must be very difficult to say goodbye.. it must have been a difficult decision, yet likely the right one. The best part I suppose are all the very cool memories. Thanks for sharing the last few posts.. to both WD and WD’s mom.
Daisy
Oh, the last few posts about the store are so sad.. it must be very difficult to say goodbye.. it must have been a difficult decision, yet likely the right one. The best part I suppose are all the very cool memories. Thanks for sharing the last few posts.. to both WD and WD’s mom.
Daisy
Now we can see where Writer Dad found his interest in words; Writer Grandma rocks!
Now we can see where Writer Dad found his interest in words; Writer Grandma rocks!
Such a beautiful, emotional farewell.
Such a beautiful, emotional farewell.
This story is classic and a piece of history that will remain alive in our hearts. Thank you for adding to the time capsule Grammy.
Cindy
This story is classic and a piece of history that will remain alive in our hearts. Thank you for adding to the time capsule Grammy.
Cindy
Misha: Thank you. It is the one heirloom that doesn’t add to my clutter and my kids will never nag me to sell on ebay!
Shanel: It truly was the american dream. Just goes to show that you have to have faith in yourself and push for what you want when the future does not seem all that promising. Thank you for your comment.
Janice: you should have been there! The school’s administration was horrified as I admired my creative son’s handiwork while laughing so hard I almost peed myself! My only regret is that they would not let me keep the masterpiece to frame. It would still be on my wall.
Daisy: Thank you for empathizing.
Terry: Thank you. I roll, too. (HA HA).
Vered: Again, thank you.
Cindy: You, too were a part of that history. Thank you for making my son happy. I love that my grand children were also able to share in the history before it was gone.
Misha: Thank you. It is the one heirloom that doesn’t add to my clutter and my kids will never nag me to sell on ebay!
Shanel: It truly was the american dream. Just goes to show that you have to have faith in yourself and push for what you want when the future does not seem all that promising. Thank you for your comment.
Janice: you should have been there! The school’s administration was horrified as I admired my creative son’s handiwork while laughing so hard I almost peed myself! My only regret is that they would not let me keep the masterpiece to frame. It would still be on my wall.
Daisy: Thank you for empathizing.
Terry: Thank you. I roll, too. (HA HA).
Vered: Again, thank you.
Cindy: You, too were a part of that history. Thank you for making my son happy. I love that my grand children were also able to share in the history before it was gone.
I love flowers. I can’t imagine ever having a bad day with the beauty and fragrance of the flowers all around you. What a wonderful business to raise your kids in. My grandpa had a Bat-B-Que store so I grew up smelling like hickory! A little different but still yummy.
I love flowers. I can’t imagine ever having a bad day with the beauty and fragrance of the flowers all around you. What a wonderful business to raise your kids in. My grandpa had a Bat-B-Que store so I grew up smelling like hickory! A little different but still yummy.
touching …
touching …