Seed Planted for Success in Lincolnway Florist

In the ‘50s, Manhattan resident Troy Schultz' parents opened Beecher Florist, a greenhouse and flower shop that still exists today, though without the greenhouse. It’s the first of three locations now that Schultz operates, and where the seed was planted for him to join the family business.

He recently opened a location in New Lenox, called , and was recognized by the Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon-cutting Thursday morning.

"I’ve been doing this my whole life," Schultz said. "I grew up doing flowers. It’s all I know. I was there when I was 5 years old, sweeping floors and raising flowers. I loved it because it’s creative and it’s something new every day.”

The shop offers catering, gifts, arrangements, plants, sympathy tributes, Ganz keepsakes, Colonial Candles and religious items. Located at 134 E. Francis Road, next to the Kurtz Memorial Chapel, it shows development away from Route 30 and toward to north end of town.

“We’re very fortunate to have the Kurtz family here to begin with, and now with this area they’re just investing more in the community," Chamber CEO Deb Hypke said.

Schultz, who has lived in Manhattan for 10 years, was joined by his wife, Christey, who will work at the store during holidays and other busy times. It’s a good time to open, too, with Easter, Mother’s Day and Lincoln-Way High School proms approaching. Schultz said all Lincoln-Way students get a 10 percent discount on flowers for prom.

“It’s always nice to see local people because they see the value of the community," Hypke said. "And shops like these, that have a specialty, it’s just another way to prevent people in New Lenox from leaving town to get what they need.”

And besides the additional location being a convenience for the florist's delivery services (it delivers to more than 250 communities), the New Lenox shop will be a way for Schultz to be a bigger part of the community, something he said he learned at a young age when he saw his parents work.

“I learned just to treat others how you’d like to be treated," he said.

• Address: 134 E. Francis Road
• Phone: 815-215-7050
• Website: lincolnwayflorist.com
• Facebook: See the business' fan page here.
• Twitter: Follow the florist on Twitter here.
• Patch Directory: See our business listing .