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Vern and Carol Tolsma have owned Mensch Retail Greenhouse for the past 30 years, and then added the flower shop which has been open for the past 20 years. They have become a staple for not only Avon, but surrounding communities when it comes to their flowers, plants, and produce. What made the Tolsmas decide to branch out and open a flower shop in Avon is that the flower shop that was previously in Avon had closed down. The Tolsmas saw a need and decided that they would expand their already established greenhouse business to include a flower shop. Carol’s grandma had started the greenhouse when Carol was a kid. When her grandmother decided to retire from the greenhouse and flower business, Carol and her husband decided to carry on her grandma’s legacy with the continuation of the retail sale of plants and greenhouse goods as well as later adding the flower shop. Carol’s uncle Lyle and cousin Korey run Mensch Wholesale Greenhouse from which the Mensch Retail Greenhouse and Flower Shop get product from. Mensch’s are very much family owned and run businesses. Carol can remember as she was growing up, she enjoyed spending time at her grandma’s greenhouse which was located on the other end of Avon at the time. She worked for her uncle for 20 plus years before she and her husband started their own Mensch business. When asked why Vern and Carol wanted to start their business here in Avon, they said because their roots run deep in Avon. The couple enjoys living and running a business in Avon because it is a nice tight knit community where everyone knows one another. Their business makes Avon a better community by making other people smile or feel comforted with their beautiful flower arrangements. It also offers healthy home-grown vegetables for sale. Members of the older generation seem to really enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to purchase fresh vegetables as many of them are not able to garden themselves anymore. The Tolsmas are proud to be able to provide a service to the Avon community that provides beauty for all occasions. The retail greenhouse and flower shop give back to the Avon community through their sponsorship of Students of the Month as well as employing young adults in the community. In the past they have also worked with the school to provide internship opportunities for Avon High School students. Mensch Retail Greenhouse and The Flower Shop employ one full-time and one part-time employee as well as four high school students (Lila Vanderlei, Kaeli Wallinga, Alexis Vanderlei, and Bree Vanderlei) that help in the garden. In April and May, the business adds seasonal help for the summer. A couple of the unique aspects of the business are that the Tolsmas have tried to create an atmosphere that makes their customers feel like they are at home. They try to create a comfortable ambience in order for their customers to have an enjoyable experience. The greenhouse also sells Vern’s famous pickles. This year he scaled down the number of jars that he cans from 800 to 600. He makes a variety of pickles including dill, sweet dill, salty dill, spicy dill, hot dill and apple cinnamon cucumber pickles to name a few of the varieties. Walking into the store, a person is greeted by Digger, the Tolsma’s dog, three fluffy kitties including Boots, Frosty, and an elusive black cat that has yet to be named, and many happy chirpy birds. There are several upcoming events that Mensch Retail Greenhouse and The Flower Shop will be hosting. The first event will be Petal It Forward which is a free event that allows someone to grab two bouquets of flowers as long as the person gives away one of the bouquets to make someone else’s day. In October they will do a Caring Rose Week where they will offer a dozen roses for $10 if a person brings two canned goods for the food pantry. They will also be doing the winter porch pot classes. Signing up for the class will be offered soon. Their flower business is an all-occasion flower and gift shop that specializes in sympathy. Unique designs and long-lasting flowers are what The Flower Shop is known for. The green house features in season fresh produce, green plants year-round, and succulents. The greenhouse and flower shop are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday until noon with extended holiday and spring hours.