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Florist and Greenhouses |
The History of Parkview Gardens
PARKVIEW GARDENS was founded in the year 1929 as a retail florist
shop by the late Benjamin and Clara Rau on their "Home Place" at 1925
Randolph Street in St. Charles, Missouri. They had been primarily vegetable
growers and started raising cut flowers outdoors in the summer seasons.
A friend, Mr. Goebel of 
Kirkwood,
and some of their vegetable and cut flower customers encouraged them
to open a "Flower Shop" and so they did. Some of the early customers
were the Stumberg, Linnemann and Lawler families.
One of the Rau's first and earliest employees as a grower/helper was Herbert W. Wolter (father of Dorothy Gillette).
The Rau's were progressive florists and soon became members of the FTD wire services. This was a very valuable tool for them during the 1940's - World War II - when many luxury items were rationed. But, GI's could send flowers home to their mothers in St. Charles or their sweethearts at Lindenwood College.
In the spring of 1943, a boiler for the greenhouse exploded and the shop was burned beyond repair. The present brick structure was built with the best available construction materials during this war-time rationing.
It was during this time (fall of 1944) that Dorothy Wolter started working at Parkview Gardens after school and on Saturdays. She continued working at 1925 Randolph Street until the Rau's bought an existing small shop on Main Street in St. Charles. Dorothy became its sole, full-time employee, managing it for several years. In the early 1950's this store was closed and Dorothy moved back on the hill.
In
1958, the Rau's were wanting to retire, so they sold their business
to a partnership of Joe and Laverne Primeau and Dorothy and Leland
Gillette (Joe had also been a previous employee of the Rau's).
In September of 1961, Dorothy and Leland became sole owners of the Parkview Gardens business. Their son, Tom, joined the business after his graduation from University of Missouri in 1979. Tom's interest in the "growing end" prompted the construction of several additional greenhouses and the remodeling of the present facilities. During 1988 and 1989, the interior of the shop was remodeled and a new warehouse addition constructed. In 1986, Tom married Holly Jost and she joined the firm.
April of 1993 brought about another change as Tom
and Holly bought the business from Leland and Dorothy. Even though
officially retired, their advice and counsel is still called upon
and they still continue to add that extra "something" to Parkview
Gardens.
The business has progressed from a few cut flowers grown with vegetables outdoors to greenhouses growing many plants throughout the seasons. Bedding plants, lilies, pansies, hanging baskets in the spring months; chrysanthemums and pansies for the fall; and thousands of poinsettias for the Christmas season.
There was a time earlier, that many gladiolas and asters were grown in large beds outdoors and the greenhouse produced crops of all mums and snapdragons for cut flowers. Outdoors in the spring time, were large "hot beds" of vegetable plants and cold frames with perennials and pansies. At one time, the Rau's, with the assistance of Herbert Wolter, also operated a small nursery on the grounds.
In recent years, the business has been mostly retail - serving all the needs of our St. Charles customers. From new babies to birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries and funerals, Parkview Gardens has served its customers well. The Greenhouse end of the business continues to prosper and flourish. Even though most of the plants grown are for retail sales, wholesale sales continue to increase, adding an entirely new aspect to Parkview Gardens.
As we enter the next century, we look with great expectations and eagerness to what the future will hold for us. The Lord has blessed us with a great business and a talented staff to serve the St. Charles community.
Parkview Gardens is a name recognized in our community as a good family florist committed to quality, price and service.