By Lauren Waters
Correspondent
ALLOUEZ – Since 1899, Schroeder’s Flowers has bloomed in the Green Bay community, and the family-owned business will be thanking the public with its upcoming 120th anniversary celebration.
The celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 12-13, at the Schroeder’s Flowers location at 1530 S. Webster Ave.
There will be popcorn, cake, lemonade and coffee for the public, as well as drawings for plants and baskets during the event.
The first 100 guests will receive a rose, and the first 50 guests will receive an anniversary mug.
Daddy D Productions will be performing from noon to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12.
There will be discounted anniversary specials on certain items, such as the “celebration bouquet” and “Victorian tea cup” floral arrangements.
Guests are also invited to take self-guided tours around the greenhouse during the event.
The story of Schroeder’s Flowers began 120 years ago when an award-winning florist from Germany, Carl Meier, came to Green Bay and started his own flower shop in 1899.
A few years later, Meier asked Otto Schroeder to travel from Germany to Green Bay to assist him with the business.
Schroeder later married Meier’s daughter, Clara, and the business was renamed Schroeder’s Flowers.
The business was later passed down to Otto’s son, Otto Jr., who had the Webster Avenue retail outlet and showroom built in 1949.
Otto Jr.’s son, Charles, later took over the family business and is currently the president of Shroeder’s Flowers.
Charles and his wife, Peggy, who is the office manager and secretary/treasurer, continue to run the business with their son, Brian.
When asked what the key to 120 successful years in business is, Peggy Schroeder said “putting the customer first.”
“It has always been all about the customers,” said Schroeder. “It started with the Meier family giving the best service they possibly could, and that idea has always been carried on throughout the generations.”
Schroeder said that even during tough business times, the customers have kept them going.
“This anniversary celebration is to thank all our customers for their support all these years,” said Schroeder. “Our customers have always been very loyal to us, and we wouldn’t be in business without them.”
In the past 120 years, Schroeder’s Flowers has seen a lot of changes in the community, as well as in the way it conducts business.
Being cared for by the fourth and fifth generations now, Schroeder’s Flowers has had to evolve as the years have gone on and to keep up with changing times.
“At the beginning, the company was delivering with horse and wagon, so business has had to change a lot over the last 120 years and still continues to change now,” said Schroeder. “Hopefully, thanks to our customers, we will have many more years to come.”
More information is available here.