Once in a great while, things just click.
Bartlett Instrument Company was suffering from growing pains.
Matt Mohrfeld was looking to downsize his business.
Diane Spiekermeier was looking for a career change.
The three situations came together and...click, click, click...just like that, one business moves and a new business - The Flower Cottage - opens tomorrow at 815-817 Ave. G (the former Lou Marise building) in downtown Fort Madison.
This began when Bartlett Instrument Company's current building was no longer enough to accommodate the booming business, which was established in 1946 as Electric Design and Manufacturing Company by Paul Bartlett. Paul's sons - Dave and Ron - and his daughter, Barbara Fowler, joined him in the business. Dave is the company's current president.
At the same time, Matt Mohrfeld wanted to concentrate on the greenhouse portion of his business and get out of the flower shop business. In doing so, Mohrfeld wanted to sell The Greenhouse & Flower Cottage building at 1031 Ave. H. The Bartletts saw the need to relocate and have that much needed space and bought the building.
Bartletts are renovating and are expanding the current 3,400 square foot facility to 5,000 square feet in front of the building, which they say will allow them to strengthen their commitment to the greenhouse market by providing a research facility for testing new equipment in the greenhouse line. The move will also improve service to customers in the ceramic kiln and industrial furnace markets, as well as provide a larger production area for new products.
The sale gave Bartletts a new, larger facility and provided Mohrfeld's exit from the flower shop business, but upon learning that this portion of Mohrfeld's business might be for sale, Spiekermeier thought ‘Why not me'? After 13 years at the Bonny Buyer, she had been looking for a change, a new challenge.
“So just like that I'm back in the flower business,” Spiekermeier said.
Spiekermeier purchased the flower shop portion of Mohrfeld's business, shortened its name to “The Flower Cottage,” and moved its staff (Sandy Kassmeyer, manager, Shirley McGraw, Marlene Davis, Sandy Hopper, Betty Tuttle and LaRita Hesse) to new digs on Avenue G. Even the phone number, 372-3675, is moving with them.
I really wanted a downtown location and knew this place had the potential - old hardwood flowers and brick walls. I wanted an English cottage feel,” Spiekermeier said. ‘‘We look forward to taking care of all our past customers and hope to see a lot of new faces.”
The Flower Cottage will have a new look as well as a new location. Renovations began Dec. 15 and transforming a women's clothing store into a flower shop presented its own set of challenges. Spiekermeier said water and plumbing issues - as well as providing cooler space - were the primary concerns.
“It's been a long while since there has been a flower shop downtown and I feel this will be a great plus,” she said.
In addition to the downtown location, Spiekermeier will be taking over the Greenhouse to Go in the County Market store. “This is certainly a new venture for me, a great opportunity to encourage flower giving and purchasing on a more everyday basis. You know, those ‘just because' flowers.”
Elsewhere, Mohrfeld - who started his career in horticulture in 1977 when he purchased Auge Floral & Greenhouses, owned by Bill Boulton at 14th Street and Avenue B - is focusing on expanding his greenhouses and providing the community with a quality spring garden center. With the help of some family members - particularly his mother, Gert and long-time employee Ted Hayes - the business had a booming start and grew under Mohrfeld's 30-year ownership.
What started as a garden shop in 1977 expanded in 1978 to include a flower shop. The business expanded its scope more in 1980 when Mohrfeld trained for a year under Phil Beebe. He then began a wholesale bedding plant operation, marketing in the tri-state area. Business grew steadily and the next expansion happened in 1989 when he purchased the Cushman building at 11th Street and Avenue H and renovated it into a retail flower shop and garden center.
But even that facility wouldn't hold Mohrfeld's business for long. In 1999, Mohrfeld moved the wholesale business to its present site across from the Rodeo grounds north of Fort Madison and left the flower shop at the corner of 11th Street and Avenue H. Mohrfeld says the greenhouse business - which now serves a 200-mile radius in three states - continues to grow, with major additions in 2000, 2003 and 2007.
Mohrfeld attributes the business growth and success over the years to supportive family members and a great customer base from Fort Madison and the surrounding area. He says he prides himself on having the opportunity to provide a full service flower shop to the area for over 30 years. Mohrfeld - along with his family and a team of employees - will continue to provide a spring garden center at the current location at 11th Street and Avenue H under the new name of Riverview Gardens.
“I'm looking forward to focusing more efforts on Riverview Gardens and providing the community with the best possible garden center,” Mohrfeld said. “I wish Diane much success in the new flower shop and am excited for the expansion opportunity for Bartlett Instrument.”
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