FACES: Larimore, ND, couple purchase local flower shop For Amy and Larry Cronin, it was baptism by flower when they became Larimore business owners this spring. The message can be a standard greeting, or it can be personalized. Larry discovered floral arranging is something he enjoys. "It's fun. com website, they have shipped the imprinted flowers, mostly roses, to customers across the United States, including the Texas, Pennsylvania and California. You start out with ingredients . I got my start (creating) in the restaurant business with food. Although being thrown into the business in the midst of its busiest season has been hectic, the Cronins are enjoying it. Now, they also market their imprinted flowers from the Larimore flower shop. "It's a lot easier to market in the four walls," Larry said. "We've done baseballs, and we've done hockey pucks," Larry said. When the couple learned that Larimore Flower and Gift was for sale, he and Amy decided to buy it and run it in addition to their Speaking Roses business. Joleen also taught Larry to make flower arrangements, staying on to work in the shop for a couple of months after she sold the business. "The greenhouse is where they've had the most fun," Amy said, adding that Hailey and Riley created containers for Memorial Day. The flower shop is a good fit with the "Speaking Roses from the Heart" business the Cronins started in 2009, where they imprint messages on live, wood and silk flowers. Larry, a 20-veteran of the restaurant industry, was researching online for something different to do when he learned about Speaking Roses from the Heart International. "I always liked something different, a challenge," he said. Besides managing the Speaking Roses business, the flower shop and greenhouse, the Cronins rent tuxedos and operate Larimore Lodging. "There's enough for me never to get bored," Larry said. "They've been great support," Amy said. |