Rosemount Floral Owner Celebrates 15 Years of Great Business, Loyal Customers

Walking through 's doors amidst homecoming can be quite hectic, but nonetheless, customers will be greeted with a friendly face no matter how busy the local flower shop gets.

The store's phone was ringing off the hook Friday with orders and last minute requests as Michelle Scheuerlein, owner of Rosemount Floral, was creating corsages and boutonnieres with designer Sue Carlson for eager highschoolers. 

"I love homecoming, especially seeing the young ones come through the doors," Scheuerlein said. "It's just fun."

Scheuerlein was in good spirits as she was celebrating her most recent milestone: she has been co-owner and owner of the popular local flower shop for 15 years now. (She became sole owner in 2004.)

Scheuerlein has a close-knit staff: three designers, two drivers and extra holiday staff. Everyone brings something different to the shop, and Scheuerlein prides herself on being one of the only local flower shops around.

Besides Lakeville Floral, we're it. Everyone else that was family-owned is gone now [or retired], Scheuerlein said.

"We really like the idea of being the local florist. We build personal relationships with our customers, which to me, is really cool," Carlson said. "I've lived here [in Rosemount] all my life and it's really [special] for me to come to work and pass by where my dad used to work [at a malt shop decades ago]."

Scheuerlein's favorite part of the job is the people. She enjoys seeing the same people over and over, and watching them grow up. However, she said it can be sad, too, watching local people she's known for years die.

And with every good business comes an obstacle. One never-ending issue Scheuerlein faces is natural disasters. "Weather affects our business a lot," she said.

Everything from flooding in Columbia to Thailand's tsunami, which affected orchids, to freezing in Mexico has impacted her store. Scheuerlein has to keep the weather in mind when putting together her flower orders, which she does six to eight weeks in advance.

"A lot can happen in between those weeks," she said.

Also, fortunately the economy has not stopped customers from coming into her shop and she remains steadily busy.

"It hasn't really affected us. We have been here long enough," she said.

We have rent control (she owns the building), reliable staff and has been buying from the same wholesaler for years and years, she added.

"Our rose prices were locked in eight years ago and has only gone up pennies," Scheuerlein said.

Also, with other local flower shops closing, such as Eagan Floral, her business has flourished even more. Another way her business has succeeded is through the unique orders it receives from servicemen overseas.

"They'll call us or we'll get the online orders from them," Scheuerlein said. "They tend to send flowers most during holidays (Valentine's Day) and anniversaries."

And her favorite time of year is Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.

"[By that time], we have the springs flowers in ... they're prettier and more fragrant," she said.

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