We have a very special entry today! As all our regular readers know, we absolutely love to involve local businesses in our blog write-ups, and today we want to tell you a little about our neighbors! Right down the street from us is another thriving family business, Guignards Greenhouse has a local background and a fascinating story that I am thrilled to be telling today. A week ago I took a short trip down the Number 4 road, to stop in and chat with 95 year old Julius Guignard. He happily visited with me about his journey from North Syracuse to Watson, taking me step by step with stories and fun facts about his life and his business. We introduced Mr. Guignard and his greenhouses on our Facebook and Instagram, and we promised a blog post would come telling you more about this local site. So here you are, we are keeping up our end of the deal!
If you have been consistent fans of the blog, our first post was a lot about the founders of Miller’s Meat Market, Carl and Norma Miller. Well if you recall, Carl and Norma came from North Syracuse just like Juli Guignard, in fact, the two go way back! Carl and Julius actually grew up together, and attended the same church in their youth years. Eventually, both their paths lead to Watson, Ny. In college, Julius had an assignment that included designing a business, after visiting other flower shops for his class, he developed a design for a flower shop of his own. His college assignment eventually turned into a thriving flower shop in North Syracuse that he designed and built from the ground up. He successfully ran this business, until property in Lowville was put up for sale. The business neighboring Guignards first flower shop in Syracuse, was a bakery. Most every morning Julius would stop in to that bakery and purchase pastries for his workers. Juli said, he didn’t know the woman at the cash register, but “she sure was pretty!”, he told me! One morning while Julius was visiting the bakery, the bakery owner gave Juli a $10 bill and explained that he owed that money to the flower shop, and asked if Juli could take it to the shop for him. Julius explained to me that back in that day making $15 a week was average, so the $10 bill was a decent sized chunk of change. He responded to the bakery owner that he would take care of the money for him under one condition. “Only if she’ll go out with me and help me spend this money tonight!” Well, that young lady named Joan agreed, and they went out and spent many years together after that day. Julius and Joan married in 1950, and have been married for 71 years. In 1953, Julius and his wife Joan left the Syracuse business in the hands of his capable sister Katherine, and left to develop a flower shop in new territory. His sister Katherine is still living, she is two years older that Juli. Juli spoke very highly of how well his sister ran the flower shop once he and his wife moved away, and up until a few years ago she was still coming to Watson to help out at the Guignards greenhouses. In fact she has earned the name of one of the greenhouses, “Aunt Kates Garage” is where Katherine did most of her planting while she was visiting and she also took care of most of the custom planters. The Guignards ran the flower shop in Lowville until the late 70’s. They left their location on Shady Ave, where they owned the portion of street where the Elks Lodge now stands and also owned some surrounding property. At the Lowville location, all the greenhouses were made of glass. Julius explained to me that after enough time, the glass greenhouses just became too difficult to heat, so off to Watson they went.
It wasn’t for a number of years after the Guignards came to Lowville, that Carl Miller planted himself right down the road from them! Julius told me about the time he visited the little store, and the owner told him that the store had sold. Juli asked, “To Carl Miller?” and the owner looked a little confused and asked how he knew that. His reply was that “He just had a hunch.” Julius Guignard has watched Miller’s Meat Market grow since the very first day. Carl told the Guignard children that they were always welcome to swim in the pool, the same pool that is still behind the shop, BUT there had to be an adult present. The two families spent time checking in on each other, Julius chuckled when he said, “We would visit Carl and Norma but we knew not to visit when Norma was watching her lawyer show!” Juli told me with two big families running around it got hard to pay proper visits to the Miller family, but Julius and Joan had a great relationship with Carl and Norma. Both Carl and Juli were involved in the community, Juli told me that Carl was a well-known and well-liked man in Lowville, so he decided to become town supervisor. However, that position only lasted one term for Carl, Juli told me, “Carl said he couldn’t go out anywhere, not even out to breakfast with Norma without someone coming up to him and complaining.” So, Carl decided one term was enough for him. Juli on the other hand, spent many years in different positions. He served on the Lowville school bored for 15 years, 11 years as the town justice, 7 years as a legislator, and served on the first ever board of review. Joans brother, Vergil Taylor, was also involved with the town. He served the longest term as town supervisor in history. This family has been serving the Lowville/Watson area for years. Not only has the family business grown, but so has the family itself! Joan and Julius Guignard had 7 kids together, and to date have been blessed with 10 grandkids and 17 great-grandchildren.
When the move to Watson happened, there was a new greenhouse added every year for the first five years after the relocation. They got there in the winter time, and the following June Joan’s parents moved to work along side Juli and Joan. Joan would keep meticulous books on when everything should be planted, how much of each plant, and when things should be transplanted. He talked to me about how the Guignards grow and sell, they don’t buy and sell. Many plant shops buy in their plants, but the Guignards proudly hand plant everything in their greenhouses. Each greenhouse has it’s own 300 gallon vat that is filled from the crick. This way, people can be watering plants in all the greenhouses at the same time without any issues. To this day, Julius waters the plants every day. Every morning, he tries to beat his daughter Marylou out to get watering, on a typical day from 7:30 to 1 Juli takes his time making sure each plant has been watered properly. I watched as Mr. Guignard used his hose to individually nourish each flower or plant. He explained that, “You can’t just throw some water around and say you got all the plants. You have to be careful so that every plant get’s watered.” So that is exactly what Julius makes sure gets done, and he spends 4 hours a day doing it at 95 years old. His favorite flower would be geraniums, Juli is said to be growing the best geraniums around. The “front greenhouse” is for Juli’s geraniums, and wow are they ever beautiful. Joan’s favorite flower is a certain type of lily, Juli couldn’t remember the specific name which was frustrating to him. I had to laugh when Juli said this, “For me to look at a plant and not know the name is like looking at one of my kids and not knowing their name!” It’s clear Juli cares a lot about his profession, and truly has a passion for his work in the greenhouses.
Julius Guignard watering the flowers, his daily job.
The Guignard family serves customers in New York of course, but their clientele doesn’t stop there. They have loyal customers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other places away from home here in Lewis County. They add to the local businesses that make our area so special. It stuck out to me when Juli said, “People stop by asking where Miller’s is, then we tell them and they usually come back and get some hanging baskets too!” That illustrates the beauty of local business, and is exactly what I want to continue emphasizing in my blog posts. It was nothing but a great pleasure getting to talk with Julius about his business in Watson, and the journey he took getting where he is today. He is amazing at what he does, and we love having a neighboring business like the Guignards. Make sure you stop by and see the greenhouses next time you come to Miller’s Meat Market! You won’t be disappointed, and you’re sure to find something beautiful that you or someone you care about will love. Continue supporting the local businesses that surround you, and make our community a special place to reside in. Thank you so much to all you who read this blog post, it is truly a special one in my eyes. Come and read again next Tuesday!