In business, if you have a good name, you stick with it. When times change, you evolve. Julie Keown, Pam Cardin, and Laura Smith have done just that with Gehlhausen Floral, 735 S. Green River Road.
Founded in 1925 by two brothers, Gehlhausen Floral originally was a hardware and lumber store. As times changed, so did the company, moving from lumber to paint and wallpaper. Charles Haury, a salesman for the Gehlhausens, purchased the store in 1977 and welcomed his daughters Julie Keown and Pam Cardin to the staff shortly after.
Today, the sisters’ mother Anna Mae Haury still owns the store while Keown and Cardin, along with Laura Smith, operate Gehlhausen Floral. The large boutique at the former home of Colonial Classics offers a variety of home décor, holiday fare, and boutique clothing and jewelry. Also, as their name denotes, Gehlhausen provides greenery and silk floral arrangements styled by two in-house designers. The variety of the selection has been quite a success for the three ladies.
“There are not many stores that cover the scope we do,” says Smith. “I would say our selection is eclectic. There are so many different styles, so many different tastes out there.”
“We have a lot of quality items,” adds Keown. “It’s always changing with the season. You can come in here in another month and it’ll look completely different.”
But Keown and Smith are not afraid to experiment, they say. Recently, the store began offering boutique furniture, with many high-quality pieces dotting the displays Smith sets up in the store. With trends changing often, the ladies keep the evolving spirit of Gehlhausen alive.
“We’re not afraid to go with the flow,” says Smith. “We’re not afraid to try something new. If it doesn’t work, then we’ll try something else.”
The most important thing to the staff at Gehlhausen, however, is the customers. A home-like family atmosphere greets shoppers who walk through the door — not just in the items offered, but from the staff as well.
“Our customers are our friends. They’re loyal, kind. It’s like a family,” says Smith.
For more information about Gehlhausen Floral, call 812- 428-2320 or visit gehlhausenfloral.com.
