Five Generations in the Family Business with David Knoll of Walter Knoll Florist (and landscaping)

Five Generations in the Family Business with David Knoll of Walter Knoll Florist (and landscaping)

Day 4 at the St. Louis Home and Garden Show with special guest David Knoll. Walter Knoll Florist is a family-owned company in St. Louis that’s been around since 1883. David is the 5th generation in this family business. David started out in the business fixing trucks, late 1970’s the company was running 1960’s trucks doing whatever it took to make the deliveries. “Every company will struggle sometime in their life, and it is how you get through that struggle and where you go too.” David  

Walter Knoll is very diverse but is known for their flower shops. They have a landscaping division that does every part of landscaping from astroturf to beautiful brick walkways to homes. Then there’s the garden center with all the products they are brokering in annuals and the tropical division with really large palm trees.  

When you work in a family business you have to come to the realization that there are business decisions and there are family decisions and sometimes you make the sacrifice for the overall good of the company or the overall good of the family. At a point in time the florist part of the industry has been shrinking rapidly over the years but now is slowing down because of the internet. Walter Knolls has been growing and is striving for the best, and doing their research to find the best for their clients. Putting water treatment plant in and figuring out what chemicals make the flowers last longer for the clients during the change from being shipped from South America to St. Louis which arrive in their coolers within 18 hours. When David’s grandfather was in the floral business he could only sell flowers that he could grow himself locally. When his father was in the business he could get flowers that could get trucked in so many hours. And now look how far its come, flowers getting shipped instantly from around the world.  

Walter Knoll Florist gained a partnership with the HBA, which brings legitimacy to what they do. They’ve had a relationship with the HBA for the past 30 years but with doing more landscaping in residential areas they wanted everyone to know that they are a quality landscaping company and have a legitimacy stamp. Anyone who is looking for services in the home industry being building, remodeling, adding on, you can go to the HBA website in any city but remember to check out the people and companies in your HBA or BIA locally. This gives you the opportunity to know the people in this organization that has taken the time to have a membership and be educated and has some accountability for what they are doing.  

RESOURCES:

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Walter Knoll Florist

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A Everyday Green Home Podcast – Recorded Live at the St. Louis Home & Garden Show 

Don’t forget to go check out our Facebook page for all pictures of this awesome event.

Every week on iTunes and on the Everyday Green Home Podcast, get the gab with us as we share what we’ve done, as well as tips for greening up your home, your job, your family and your life! Get in on the gab for why green matters – to you, your family and friends and your community.

Get Marla’s book Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices to a Better Home. For more information about the show, Marla at marla@greenhomecoach.com or Tony at tpratte@thesoundroom.com. I’d love to speak at your next event – for ideas check out my speaking information. Thank you and have a blessed day.