Find Your No, that’s not the start of a bad joke, it’s the opening line of a beautiful story.
In the Beginning…
About five years ago, a young couple named Dustin and Lauren White opened their own floral business, Doniphan Flowers & Gifts in Doniphan, MO. Tremendously friendly people with a great passion for their store and the floral industry, they called on their collective experiences to forge their way through the first few years of owning and operating a new business. They did well. They were becoming successful and well known throughout the Doniphan area, and they thought their lives were full. They were wrong.
A Twist of Four-Legged Fate
One bright, spring morning as they arrived to open the shop, they noticed that one customer had decided to come early. A six month old, black and white kitten was nosing about the dumpster, looking for food.
It wasn’t unusual to find stray cats in the area, but most were just this side of feral and ran at the first sign of people. This one was different. She didn’t flee when they approached and was in fact quite friendly. She was skinny and thin, bedraggled in every sense of the word, and yet something about her prompted them to want to help.
With little deliberation, the couple brought the kitten inside, intending to feed it and perhaps help to find it a good home. As tends to happen in life, one day turned to two, then three, then six. It wasn’t long before they realized that they had already found a good home for this felicitous feline. They decided to name her Dixie, tied a bow around her neck and never looked back.
Doniphan Flowers and Gifts has always been a friendly and welcoming place, the owners quick with a smile and a heartfelt, “How can I help you,” but these days there’s even more to love. On any given day, Dixie can be found lounging about the shop, perhaps sunning herself in the display window or perched under a chair. She is a living testament to the fact that Dustin and Lauren aren’t only the kinds of people who open their doors, they are willing to open their hearts.
Life, Laurels and Lazy Lap-Cats
When customers enter the shop to take advantage of specialized wedding services, (which include coordinating, decorating, and even catering!) peruse the broad selection of gift and home decorating items, or partake of Doniphan Flowers and Gifts skillful and well designed arrangements, they get the added treat of meeting Dixie, the so-called “shop cat.” In fact, there are some customers who stop by just to say, “Hi,” and give Dixie a little pat. More than a mascot, Dixie is a loved and valued member of both the White family and the Doniphan Flowers and Gifts team.
So next time you’re in the Doniphan area, stop on by the shop. You can meet Dixie and the gang, maybe buy some flowers or see what Doniphan Flowers and Gifts can do to help make your wedding day a success. One thing’s for sure, your first visit may be because of the numerous services they provide, but you’ll be coming back for the exemplary work and excellent people. At Doniphan Flowers and Gifts, their job may be making flower arrangements, but they’re in the business of making friends.
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