26 Years In Business, Memory Lane Wins County Award

Jeff Green | Dec 06, 2023

Just like 92 other business owners in Frontenac County, Christine Kennedy was pleased to hear that her business had been nominated for an award at the second annual Frontenac County Business Awards. She had a commitment on the day of the retreat/ceremony, so she was unable to attend, even though she wanted to, and as she recalled in an interview with the News, this week, she didn't think any more about having been nominated.

That is, until Ron Vandewal came bursting in the front door the next morning.

“He was all excited,” Christine said, “and just as he arrived, my husband Gary walked into the house. Ron looked at Gary, and said 'she doesn't seem that excited'.

‘She doesn't know about it,’ Gary said.

'I don't know about what' I said.

‘Well, you won the Business of the Year Award last night. I'm here on official business as the warden to present the award.”

Christine found out later, from Debbi Miller at Frontenac County, that a heartfelt letter from one of the people who nominated her, along with a few other nominations, is what tipped the balance in her favour, and that's what led to the nod as “Business of the Year”.

It has been a year of consolidation for Memory Lane Flowers. In September of 2022, Christine moved Memory Lane from its longstanding location on George Street in Sydenham, a block and a half away to her home.

“Gary wanted me to retire, but I was not ready, so when I came up with the idea of using our sunroom, which we do not use, as a showroom, and cutting down to five days a week,and cutting the hours down [Memory Lane is currently open 10am-4pm Tuesday to Friday, and 10-12 on Saturday mornings] he said that would be ok.

With the move, she also stopped selling gift items that she used to sell in the store, and now focuses on the thing that got her started in the business 26 years ago, floral arrangements.

“The hours are better now, but of course there are exceptions. When there is a funeral or Celebration of Life, I respond whenever I am called, of course. That's the nature of the business.”

Christine is a long-standing member of the Sydenham Lions Club and Memory Lane does fundraising projects every year for the Lions.

For example, at Christmas time, she supplies poinsettias for the Lion's 'Poinsettia Blitz', an event that keeps growing in popularity.

“This year we did 280, all pre-ordered. They came in a week and a half ago, and after checking them all out I called the Lions members and they were all picked up before the end of the next morning and delivered to the customers that same day, less than 24 hours after I received them from my supplier, who had to put on an extra truck for the delivery,” she said.

She said that receiving the award from Frontenac County at this point in her business career was a humbling experience, and it put her to mind about how running Memory Lane Flowers has played a big role in her life for over a quarter century.

“You can't just count money when you are in business, although you need to pay attention to it. It is really about customer service, and in the floral business there can be a lot of emotions as well. Sometimes it is a student at the high school for prom, or it is a wedding, or a funeral. I always listen to my customers, and I cry with them when they are sad. It's that kind of business.”

Christine does a lot of extras for customers, including putting up Christmas decorations for one elderly client.

Perhaps the best example of her commitment to her clients, and the community, came at a time when she had no flowers to sell.

“I was forced to basically close for at least a couple of months at the beginning of COVID. I could not get flowers, partly because airplanes were not flying them in from around the world, and shipping by land was also slowed down,” she recalls.

But she still came into the shop every day for a few hours, and made phone calls. She called some of her elderly customers, and other seniors who she knew were isolated, some who were home alone.

“I was just checking in on them, making sure they were okay. A lot of people just needed someone to talk to,” she said.

Those calls did not add to the bottom line at Memory Lane, but they were part of the reason it was named as Business of the Year for 2023.