While waiting for my order to come up in the takeout window of Hamburger Express, I looked at the corner of Pacific and William and thought something had changed. Indeed, the old greenhouses of Knaup Floral were gone. Now that I think of it, they’ve been gone a long time, but this is the first time I flashed on them. Click on any photo to make it larger.
Here’s a real greenhouse
No, this wasn’t shot in Cape. I couldn’t put my hands on a local greenhouse, so I reached into my stash of photos from Shawnee, Ohio, a dying little coal town, for this one.
Cape Florists in 1969
The 1969 City Directory lists the following Florists
- Carver Floral Co., 100 S. Sprigg St.
- Drive-In Florist, Perryville Rd. and Cape Rock Dr.
- Hazel’s Flowers and Gifts, 1030 Broadway St.
- Knaup’s Floral and Greenhouses, S. Pacific and William Sts.
- Ochs Floral Co., 1110 W. Cape Rock Dr.
Wife Lila noted that “The florist who did our wedding flowers was Carver’s. It’s called Flowers by Joyce now. Anytime I need flowers for Cape, they are who I call. We had an account there from the time we got married, but now I pay with a credit card. Don’t know if that tidbit will help, but I’ll pass it along.” [Editor’s note: that is an unpaid endorsement. If Flowers by Joyce would like to make it a PAID one, I wouldn’t object.]
Did Kanups live in house?
Mother seemed to remember that some of the Knaup family lived in the three-story brick house just north of the greenhouses. A quick peek at the City Directory shows the following listed in that block of S. Pacific:
- 136 S. Pacific St. – Knaup Floral & Greenhouses (John Knaup)
- 134A S. Pacific St. – Richard J. Knaup
I didn’t check the house number when I shot it, unfortunately.
Interesting rock accents
The inlaid rocks in the wall and the front step caught my eye.
In business since 1910
A Nov. 13, 1931, Missourian obituary gives an indication of what a Cape landmark business Knaup’s has been. “Mrs. Mary M. Knaup, 65 years old, wife of Wm. Knaup and a lifelong resident of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday at the family home, 118 S. Pacific St. Born in Cape Girardeau Dec. 15, 1865, Mrs. Knaup was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Frelinghaus, pioneer immigrants from Germany. Here early schooling was received in St. Mary’s parochial school.
“On Nov. 22, 1895, she was married to Wm. Knaup, who, since 1910, has been engaged in the floral business and is now assisted by a son, John. Previous to entering into the floral business, Knaup was engaged in cooperage manufacturing.
I worked at Ochs Floral for a time during high school. Never knew you had to clean dirt to plant flowers. Steamed dirt in long concrete flower beds before planting. Also worked for Mr. David Niswonger. He was a nationally known Iris grower and the administrator of Southeast Hospital. He grafted different types of Iris plants together to create new breeds of plants. Beautiful stuff. He lived on Rodney Vista Blvd. and had a wonderful example of his work next to his house. Looking back, Cape was a beautiful place to grow up. Green, very green. Texas, not so much.
It was fun growing up in the 50s next to Mr Och’s Greenhouse. We didn’t play in the greenhouse but a Mr Brooks worked there. He was nice and gave us kids the plants they were going to throw out. We planted them everywhere and of course, 95 per cent of them died but that didn’t stop us. It was a treat to walk through the greenhouse and see all the plants growing there. Another treat was to go into the front flower shop with enough money to purchase flowers or a plant on Mothers Day or some special occasion. Mr Henry Ochs lived up the street on Cape Rock Dr. Later, I think his daughter and son-in-law built a brick home in the old garden area. Last time I remember going by on Cape Rock Drive, ther was only a foundation of the old greenhouse left.
The other florist at Cape Rock and Perryville Road, I believe was known originally as Zimmermann’s Florist. I don’t remember much about the others but Mr Lyle Carver and Dad were in the Army Reserve together and traveled to Kennett for drills.
Richard Knaup and his wife were good friends of my Mom and Dad and were in the same bridge club. The Kids swam for me on the swim team at Capaha Park. I had a charge account with them for years to send Flowers to Cape as needed, Pre credit card days. The whole family wer very nice and friendly, good people as we would say in Cape. I always remember Richard Knaup at Super Bowl parties bringing GOSHAWFUL decorated cakes to the party…ones with decorated five colors of iceing and lttle army men on the top them or football players…really out there cakes for the Superbowl party, usually held at my Mom and Dad’s house on Oak Hills Drive.
Hey, I am the one who put those little football and army men on those cakes for Richard, my father…& now I am owner of Knaup Floral, Inc. At least I don’t cover myself in silk flowers (full body suit and cowboy hat to boot) and walk into the National FTD convention! We miss you Rich!!
I worked at Och’s Greenhouse my senior year (57)through the D.O. program. Henry Och’s was a good man to work for and really knowledgeable.They also had a floral shop on the south side of Broadway I don’t remember what block. Many of the things I learned there I still use today.
We had just finished potting several hundred carnation plants that spring when a small tornado hit the green house.Wnat a mess that was to clean and rplace all the glass and replant the carnations. I don’t recall if there was any other damage any where else.
I worked at Och’s Greenhouse my senior year (57)through the D.O. program. Henry Och’s was a good man to work for and really knowledgeable.They also had a floral shop on the south side of Broadway I don’t remember what block. Many of the things I learned there I still use today.
We had just finished potting several hundred carnation plants that spring when a small tornado hit the green house.Wnat a mess that was to clean and rplace all the glass and replant the carnations.
Indeed, the Knaups’ lived in the large brick just north of their display store which was itself north of the large greenhouses, that occupied the northeast corner of William and Pacific. During my (mostly) delivery job there in the mid-fifties, the only son, Richard, a smart, creative designer, had moved with his wife to their own home just west of Cape. They were a strong, close, loving family. I learned much from them.
much from them.
William & Mary Knaup, my great grandparents started the business of Knaup Floral in 1920. My grandfather, John Knaup with wife Clara Stehr-Knaup continued the business of growing plants & fresh cut flowers. As transportation shipping costs became more efficient their son, Richard Knaup with wife, Carla Jo (Jody-maiden name Whitehead)changed to become more of a retail flower shop with fewer greenhouses and shipped in floral fresh product from all over the world. In 1995, a new flower shop was built at the corner of Pacific & William, thus turning the storefront from Pacific to William St. Knowing it would not be a foolish thing, my husband, John E. Landewee & I bought Knaup Floral from Richard & Jody on April 1, 1991. My sister, Mary L. Gardiner is still working here as a designer. We do reside in the house behind the business. Our daughter, Claire Ann, has a special, keen interest in design, and who knows? Maybe one day she’ll find that she will want to continue this business of floral art.
William street, when it was still lined with all those majestic trees in the early 1970’s, was the most beautiful drive in Cape. I saw the picture of the florist and can’t believe how they destroyed the beauty that was William Street by cutting down the trees. They also tore down my old house and the one next to it on the corner of Benton and William and put in a gas station. Last time I was in Cape I didn’t recognize the place. Much to my sadness, some things do march on.
Fred Lynch posted a photo of the greenhouses on his blog.
I worked at Ochs’s Greenhouses and Florist part-time my Jr. and Sr. years in high school and full time in the summers (1958-1960). After 4 years in the Marine Corps, I came back to Cape to attend SEMO and again worked part-time at Ochs’s until I joined the Missouri State Highway Patrol in 1966. I thought the world of Mr. Henry Ochs and his family. His wife and daughter, Caroline, ran Ochs’s Floral Shop on Broadway where they sold and I sometimes delivered the products we raised in the greenhouses. Working for Mr. Ochs ingrained in me a strong and enthusiastic work ethic regardless of my task or assignment. That established work ethic at a young age would follow me throughout my adult life and career, serving me well. Today, when I drive by where the greenhouses were on Cape Rock Drive, I reflect back on those hard but fun and rewarding years of working for Mr. Ochs and say, “Thanks, Henry.”