A Floral Farewell: Beloved Flower Shop Closes After Over 70 Years in Columbia
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Saying goodbye is a hard thing to do. But sometimes there is peace in knowing it’s the right time to move on. DeLoache Flowers on Millwood Avenue in Columbia closed on March 1 after over 70 years in business in the Capital City. The boutique flower shop is no longer selling arrangements or bouquets but is selling all remaining merchandise until March 15.
An End of an Era
“Since we announced it we have heard so many encouraging words, but we understand that it’s time,” said Jackie Branham, the co-owner at DeLoache Flowers. “There’s a season for everything.” Her family business helped so many people say goodbye over the years. Now it’s their turn.
Heartfelt Services
“It’s just time to retire,” Branham said. “We have excellent designers. Excellent staff. It’s sad because we’re family.” And this family was always there with flowers for their customers’ happiest moments and their darkest.
A Legacy of Compassion
“We see people come in with so much grief and we can help them in some way and encourage them. Sometimes we pray for them and comfort them. It makes us feel good, and makes them feel good,” Branham continued.
Changing Times
Times have changed since Branham’s Florist Supply merged with DeLoache Flowers in 1978. The partnership lasted decades. But these days – you can get flowers at most grocery stores. Convenience and cost ultimately put a damper on the boutique flower shop’s bottom line. “Flowers are everywhere. It’s changed tremendously.”
Heartfelt Creations
And yet, through those changes the staff here set itself apart. “They worked from the heart,” Branham said. “And of course, that’s what our customers received. Because they knew there was a lot of heart put into the design of the flowers.”
A Lasting Impact
While flowers warm the hearts of those receiving them, Jackie said those who deliver flowers receive even more. “When I asked, ‘What’s your favorite part of driving and delivering the flowers’, a driver told me, ‘When I deliver them, I see the smile on their faces,’” Branham said. “It touched him.”
Mixed Emotions
Jackie said saying goodbye carries mixed emotions. You could say it another way: Even roses bear thorns. “It’s like a high school graduation. Remember? When you think – ‘What are we going to do? We’re not seeing each other!’ We’ll keep in touch. The [staff and customers] know how much we love them. And I know how much they love us.”
A Fond Farewell
As Jackie spoke, designer Gayle Long put the finishing touches on one of her final arrangements at a counter nearby. It was perhaps the final bouquet in Gayle’s 40-year career. “I learned this from my Dad,” Long explained with a smile. “Just put the flowers in a circle,” she said with a chuckle. Within minutes she was finished. Her final arrangement, like so many moments and memories at DeLoache Flowers over the years could only be summed up in one word: Breathtaking.
