Stander recognized for its services to the community

By Anthony Conchel, SCC Correspondent March 4, 2022 5:43 p.m.

BUCYRUS—Sue Stander, owner of Norton’s Flowers, received the 2022 Arts for Success Leadership Award from North Central State College Thursday night.

“It was part of the fundraising effort for North Central State. I’m very honored,” Stander said.

The award represents his many years of service to the community.

“I came here for a job at Norton’s Flowers in the 70s,” she said. “I’m a transplant (from Montana via Wyandot County).”

The store has existed since 1882 and at its current location since 1937.

“It was Eddie Norton who taught me that if you give them (the community), they will give you back. Eddie was a great example of donating his white shirts that he always wore. He bought new shirts even if he didn’t need them, just so he could give others away.

“He was my mentor. I worked for the Nortons for a while. Then I bought it from the Hoskinsons,” Stander said.
She did her internship in the greenhouse “a long time ago” and graduated from the Agricultural Technical Institute.
Stander previously worked with the Retail Merchants group which became the Bucyrus Area Business Association.

“I sat on those committees and I was president. I was a board member of the Chamber of Commerce. I did a bit of all of that,” she said. “I’m one of those if you’re in it, you work, not just your name on the thing.”

First Fridays, downtown sidewalk sales and the first Candlelight Christmas are projects Stander has been involved with over the years.

“I’ve been involved in everything that’s going on. My crew knows they get paid to volunteer. They hang out there too, and they get paid, but it’s all part of the community.

Her children attended schools in the town of Bucyrus and her granddaughters attend Wynford.

“We’re part of that zone, so you want it to continue,” she said.

Stander has seen the flower industry evolve.

“We have a bit of everything; pressed, fresh and artificial flowers, plants. With the pandemic gift lines, we’re still carrying different things for sympathy.

Dealing with the pandemic has been difficult as the business was forced to close for seven weeks. Stander said the store was closed for Mother’s Day in 20202.

“But we were able to curbside and make contactless deliveries.”

She established additional cleaning practices and continued most of them. “It’s good for the flowers; it’s good for us.” Today, the supply chain presents another challenge.

“I just received the product. There have been so many companies that have not survived. Some of the people we buy things from no longer exist,” Stander said.

The price of gasoline and fuel surcharges affect the cost of products.

People always like to receive flowers.

“There are studies that say it relaxes the mood. The endorphins that make you feel good are there when you receive a flower,” she said.

“We have a great variety. People don’t want the same thing. Many different colors; this year, a bit of orange worked with it. Pinks, reds and purples are always the most popular.

Norton’s Flowers is located at 225 S. Sandusky Ave., Bucyrus. The phone number is 419-562-2816. The website is nortonsflowersbucyrus.com.