Southern Indiana Living

MAR-APR 2014

Southern Indiana Living magazine is the exclusive publication of the region, offering readers a wide range of coverage on the people, places and events that make our area unlike any other. In SIL readers will find beautiful photography, encouraging s

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March/April 2014 • 24 A lot has changed in the foral business in the last 95 years, but since 1919 the Nance name has been synonymous with fowers in Southern Indiana. The family foral business began when George Nance Sr. bought greenhouses in Clarksville. At that time forists generally grew the fowers they sold, and fowers were mainly used as expres- sions of sympathy. The arrangements were considered status sym- bols and often evoked competition between neighbors. Unfortunately, fowers were a luxury product, and the greenhous- es were lost in 1929, as the Great Depression took its toll. After the end of World War II, George Nance Jr. followed in his father's footsteps and opened a retail foral shop at 10th and Market Streets in New Albany. By this time, the foral business had changed and forists generally did not grow their own fowers. His focus was on selling gifts and fowers for special occasions, and not just sympathy arrangements. George Jr. was very passionate about foral design and quite talented in making beautiful arrange- ments. In 1963, Nance Floral Shoppe, Inc. moved to its current loca- tion at Seventh and Spring Streets in New Albany. Nance Floral Shoppe has always been a family afair. Genera- tions of Nance kids have grown up working in the business. George Sr.'s sister, Ruth Han- cock, now 98-years-old, was a fxture from the beginning. She grew up as a child playing in her father's greenhouses and has worked her whole life as a forist, continuing to help out during busy times until very recently. The shop is currently operated by George Jr.'s son, Steve Nance, and daughter, Carol Powers, as well as Steve's son, Brian Nance. Steve's wife, Sandy, is also in- volved as a buyer for the shop. They all wear mul- // Florals in the family MarchApril 2014.indd 24 2/23/14 8:40 PM

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