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November 21, 2006
Mary Guidry
November 24, 2006
For special floral arrangements, many local residents tend to rely on the House of Flowers, a small family-owned flower shop.
The House of Flowers has been in the community for a very long time more than 40 years to be exact. It has had two locations in its 48-year span in Terrebonne Parish. Now, it is located on corner of Lafayette Street in Houma.
From 1958 to 1978, the House of Flowers was located right near the bridge on Main Street but because of reconstruction in the Acosta area the florist moved into a small house on Lafayette Street.
“It’s ironic how the name has always been the ‘House of Flowers’ and now we are really in a house n I guess it was our destiny,” explained the floral shop owner Denise Bourg.
In Bourg’s opinion, the House of Flowers is unique because they put true emotions in their work when making floral arrangements for funerals, weddings or any other special occasion. She said everything they prepare has an emotion tied to it.
“When people go to the other floral places, they just get service and they don’t deliver,” she said. “The workers don’t know who the customers are. Knowing your clientele and your customers is the key to a success a business.”
Bourg is the third owner of the House of Flowers. She bought the business from her mother Sadie Toups in 1991. Bourg’s mother bought out original owners Dolores and Gordon Hebert in late ’60s when the House of Flowers was in its previous location.
She said the Heberts were more business minds behind the shop but they didn’t know as much about floral arrangements so they hired her mother. At that time, her mother was working for one of the local competitors.
“Growing up I watched floral businesses come and go,” Bourg said. “But, I knew we would last a long time because we [the owners, worker and community] became a family and have had consistent and quality arrangement over the years.”
Bourg said the House of Flowers is a family business, deeply rooted into the community. She said as the owners did before, she has become to know her clients well and, after a period of time, knows customers’ dislikes and likes.
“I try to get my employees to learn the customers the same way,” said Bourg. “Many of the customers even request particular employees by name for their floral needs.”
Some of the workers have had previous floral designing occupations. This allows them to come in knowledgeable in creating quality arrangements Bourg and the owners before her have been trying to supply to the community the past 40 years.
“Over the years many of the workers already know how to create floral designs and then we have some that don’t know anything about floral design but they are willing to learn,” the floral shop owner said. “Growing up in the business, I already knew what I wanted to do with my life.”
Bourg said she and her employees are willing to teach anyone who to make floral arrangements, but they have to be dedicated to putting the time and energy into learning the skill. The flower shop owner said, “So long as the workers understand that we has a commitment to the community, then the bond we will make will carry us well into the future.”
Sophia Ruffin can be reached at (985) 876-3008 or sophia@tri-parishtimes.com.
The House of Flowers
Owners: Denise Bourg
Address: 1419 Lafayette Street, Houma
Phone: (985) 876-2450
Website: www.houseofflowersla.com
Staff: 4 employees
Delivery Services: Fresh and silk flowers, fruit baskets, balloons, plants, gifts, weddings or flowers and gift for all occasions.
Store Hours: Mon. – Fri.
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sat. 8:30 a.m. to noon
Staff photo by Sophia Ruffin/ Denise Bourg, owner of House of Flowers in Houma, is a second generation florist, having bought the shop from her mother. The shop specializes in creating fresh and silk flower arrangements, fruit baskets, balloons, plants, gifts and flowers for all occasions. Learning customers’ likes and dislikes are the key to the shop’s longevity, the owner said.
