Unlikely Backgrounds Lead Sainte-Julie Florists to Success
March / April 2001 page 12
By Heather Saunders
Walking into Vincent Fleuriste in Sainte-Julie, Quebec—the pride and joy of Francine Gonthier and Michel Vincent AIFD—engages all the senses. There is the smell of fresh flower, displayed out of the confines of the cooler. Above, eye-catching red velvet cascades from the ceiling in anticipation of Valentine’s Day. Add to that the music of Sarah McLachlan, which could soften even the most cynical of visitors. With hands shaken and tea poured, we were ready for our interview.
The view was once much smaller, from where we sit in the kitchen of the attached house. Francine recalls the early days in the store, when a rose box stood in for their son, Matthieu’s bassinet because of limited space. Now, with the expansion of the store, there is room for lavish displays (which interestingly, their son, Nicolas, videotapes and uses as reminders to his parents to always out-do the previous display). The storage area that stretches across the length of the entire basement has echoes of Francine and Michel’s past. A sewing machine, Francine’s first love, rest in the corner nearby the refrigeration system that Michel designed, drawing from his skills as a former welder.
How did a seamstress and a welder come to be florist? Furthermore, how has a florist couple thrived in a village that had only 2000 residents at the time that the store opened in 1975? Based on a friend’s advice, Francine walked into a flower shop to see if they needed help. The first didn’t pan out, but the second one jump-started a longstanding career. Once Francine had sufficient training from the shop, she and Michel opened their own store. Because it was in a modestly sized community, Francine hoped that she would have time to sew as well. As it happened, the flower shop took on a life on its own. Michel assisted Francine in off-hours, and eventually trained in floral design himself. He went on to gain certification from the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), and last year, he placed second in the prestigious Maple Leaf Cup.
Francine and Michel practice in the European style. With its emphasis on meticulous construction, European design is well suited to the dexterity that Michel honed as a welder and Francine as a seamstress.
At the start of their business, they produced mostly funeral arrangements, as the community was aging. Now, as the demographics have shifted, there is more balance. They can enjoy making arrangements for happier occasions. Like weddings. Francine and Michel frequent wedding shows, and have a wonderful consultation room in the store with a Gothic style cabinet and plans for more.
The store has kept pace with the growth of the surrounding community, which now has a population of 30,000. “Our customers have been our life” says Francine.