Klotz Floral, Gift & Garden Center

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Klotz Floral, Gift & Garden Center
906 E. Napoleon Road
Bowling Green, OH 43402

1-800-353-8351 or 419-353-8381

Mission Statement

Klotz Floral, Gift & Garden Center is dedicated to enriching the lives of the people and community around us with the natural beauty of flowers and the joys of gardening. We are committed to knowledgeable, courteous service, the best quality flowers and plants, and a friendly, welcoming shopping experience.

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For Over 92 Years - Klotz Floral, Gift & Garden Centerabout_img_03

Frank Klotz started his business of selling tomatoes and other vegetables from the open sides of his truck. Klotz, born in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1881, lost his hearing when he was eight years old after he fell from a tree and developed spinal meningitis. Two years later he was enrolled in the School for the Deaf in Columbus. That is where he learned sign language and studied greenhouse operation.

It was this beginning that gave him the knowledge and experience to eventually return to his hometown and start his own gardening business.

In 1911, he married classmate Anna Mae Householder, who also became deaf when she was eight years old, after contracting scarlet fever. Though they could not hear, they were able to lip-read and talk, since they had both had verbal skills before they became ill. They never let their disability hinder them; in fact they seemed to work extra hard to make sure their jobs were done right.

In 1918, after working for other greenhouses in Canada, Ohio and Arkansas, Klotz decided to go into business for himself. He bought the west 20 acres of the family's 47 acre parcel on Napoleon Road. According to an historical account, he owed $5,000.00 for the property, but never paid anything on the principle. Instead, he paid the interest annually. Upon his mother's death, he inherited the farm.

Frank began in 1918 by placing homemade wooden flats filled with vegetable plants on a bed of horse manure in a single hotbed. Business expanded within a short time and soon flowers were added to the Klotz business. By that time, he had a dozen hotbeds and cold frames and a greenhouse with 650 flats to grow 65,000 plants.

Though Frank saw many changes in the business during his almost 20 years of labor intensive work, his son, Merle and his wife Wilhelmine, saw many more changes to the buildings and in the technology of growing plants during their years of running the family business.

The business has been remodeled many times. The biggest facelift was in 1973, when the floral and gift shops were doubled in size. Remodeling took place again in 1985, doubling the floral and gift shops again and constructing new greenhouses used for retail sales.

Now, 81 years later, the business has blossomed into a complete floral shop, gift shop, garden center, nursery and greenhouse. Gene Klotz, grandson of the founder and one of the current operators, likes to refer to the business as "Northwest Ohio's Most Complete Floricultural Shopping Experience." Other family members currently involved in the business are Gene's wife, Rita and their son Eric, who is the fourth generation of the family to remain active in the day to day operations. Also, Gene's sister, Nancy Klotz Germann and her husband, Larry are active in the management of the business. Currently, in addition to the five family members, Klotz employs 10 to 15 additional employees.

Klotz's philosophy is to provide our customers with top quality service and products. We are always changing to keep up with new trends and changes in the industry. Though we are proud to be celebrating 81 years in business, we don't want to look like we're 81 years old.

© 2010 Klotz Floral