‘You feel good the minute you walk in’ at The French Bucket
On her wedding day, a nervous bride-to-be entered The French Bucket in Glencoe recently to pick up her bridal bouquet. Store owner Tammy Dvorak went to the cooler to retrieve the special bouquet and placed it on the counter in front of the future bride.
The young lady’s eyes were quickly drawn to the flowers. She took a deep breath and then started to cry.
“I’ve always loved flowers, but this is extra special,” she remarked, wiping away her tears.
Flowers have always been special to Dvorak, too. And so, too, are her customers.
“That’s what makes this job so special,” she said, referring to the emotions felt by her customers when they make a purchase. “It’s really important to have good customer service, and I have a very good group of fun and reliable workers.”
The French Bucket is nestled on the corner of Hennepin Avenue North and 11th Street East in downtown Glencoe, a city with a population of 5,600. There are five female employees, including Dvorak, and one male delivery driver.
Dvorak decided three years ago to “take the jump” and own her own business, purchasing an existing flower shop that had a different name.
She and her children were trying to decide on a new name, and French Bucket, a type of metal vase generally used for long-stemmed flowers, was the unanimous choice.
“I really couldn’t do this without the help of my husband, Tom, and my son at home, Payton,” said Dvorak, who also has two grown children, Preston and Cagney. “They’ve all been so supportive.”
The decision to run a floral shop came easy for Dvorak as she was already selling wedding flower arrangements out of her home. And her father, who had once worked for a floral company in Minneapolis, had passed away shortly before her decision to become a business owner.
“He would have been so proud of me,” she said, emotionally.
It hasn’t always been easy, as Dvorak will attest to. The hours can be long, especially during holidays. But the pleasure of running a successful store with valuable employees and customers makes it all worth it.
One unique service The French Bucket offers is on Valentine’s Day when driver Dennis Wolter dresses in a tuxedo to delivers flowers and gifts to sweethearts in the area.
Some of the recipients have requested to have their picture taken with Dennis as a special memento of their special day. “I really enjoy seeing their faces when I deliver flowers dressed in a tuxedo to someone’s office,” he said. “They don’t expect that. Sometimes I get down on one knee when I deliver the flowers. They seem to get a kick out of that.”
A bulletin board in the shop is filled with notes of thanks from appreciative customers.
“It means the same to us if someone comes in to buy a single flower or if they order flowers for a wedding,” Dvorak insisted. “Everyone is important to us.”
The French Bucket caters to all types of floral and gift needs such as a new baby, someone recovering from an illness, weddings, funerals, or special occasions.
Besides floral arrangements and plants, The French Bucket offers a variety of unique gifts with a touch of vintage mixed in. “I always feel so welcome when I come in here,” said one customer, before bending down to smell a flower in a vase. “It’s a place where you feel good the minute you walk in.”
And important when you leave.
The French Bucket is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or by appointment. For more information or to place an order, call 320-864-6145.