After 139 years of family ownership, H.W. Brown Florist on Chestnut Street in Danville’s Old West End is changing hands.

Terry Shadrick, the great grandson of H.W. Brown, has been involved in the business in one manner or another for the last 44 years and has stood at the helm of the enterprise since 2014. In recent years he’s begun to think about retiring, but as there is no one left among the family with an interest in the business, it meant the family legacy was destined to end. Then Terry got a call from a friend, Nan Freed, who asked him what his plans were. She told him she knew someone, an events planner with a talent for arranging flowers, who might be interested in taking over the shop, and so Terry invited Nan to send her over to meet him and to speak with him about her plans. A few months went by, and nothing happened. And then one day, Katie Thomas came in and introduced herself.

Katie moved to Danville in 2015. Her events and flower arranging business happened quite by accident. In 2017, Katie was helping a friend at a Boys & Girls Club event. She had volunteered to arrange the flowers, charging the organization only the cost of the flowers themselves. Dr. Tiffany Franks was present at the event and asked Katie who had done the arrangements. When Katie confessed it was her work on display, Dr. Franks suggested she might like to hire her for another event. In fact, when Dr. Franks reached out to Katie shortly after that first event, she proposed Katie’s involvement in fifteen others. Katie objected on the grounds that she didn’t have a proper business set up, no wholesaler’s account, “I don’t even have a business license,” Katie told her. Dr. Franks’ response was decisive. “Well, I think you should get one.” Katie did, and her business has blossomed ever since.

Originally Katie was just planning events and weddings. The floral arrangements were an aside to that, but with time, her arrangements have taken a front row seat. She had previously been working out of a studio in her home. In 2018, her husband’s job demanded they leave Danville. Her business survived the move and continued to flourish as she worked from a studio in her home. Last year she and her husband found themselves with the opportunity of returning to Danville, which they have done with pleasure, but though business is as good as ever, their new living accommodations do not allow for an in-home studio. Katie needed a larger space, and perhaps one that included a storefront, and so she began looking at her options for expanding.

That’s when Nan Freed stepped in. Nan had a friend who owned a flower business and she knew he was looking at retiring soon. Perhaps Katie might be a good fit to take over. And so Terry and Katie met to discuss their plans and the future of the shop. Katie began working out of H.W. Brown Florist in August of last year. In between operating her own events business, she’s been learning the business of retail floristry. “It has been a perfect fit.”

When recalling how events took place to bring Katie and H.W. Brown Florist together, Terry shakes his head. “I was getting ready to retire. I didn’t know what I was going to do. It was … providential.”

While Katie’s business licensed under the name of KatieDid Florals, she plans on incorporating the H.W. Brown name as well. Among her visions for the future are the restoration of the Lord and Burnham greenhouse and plans for a community flower garden where citizens can come and learn about plant and flower care and even choose fresh picked flowers to take home. Such plans follow the lore of Mr. Brown who was known to “hold court” in the flower shop’s greenhouses, educating Danville’s citizens and visitors about flowers and horticulture, and sending them home with both knowledge and samples of his expertise.

While it’s bittersweet to see the business leave the Brown family, the family is prepared to turn over the keys with full faith and plenty of gratitude for Katie and her enthusiasm for carrying on the Brown tradition. For more about the legacy of the H.W. Brown and his family, please see the companion post.