Lennoxville Florist celebrates 35 years of blooming business

Claudette Beaudry might have been the face behind the Lennoxville Florist for the last 35 years, but she has also been the soul of the 159 Queen Street boutique. Her business has bloomed in the heart of Lennoxville since September 17, 1984, making it one of the longest standing shops in the area. When it comes to floral arrangements, Beaudry believes that every bouquet tells a story. Beaudry’s story began in the mid 1970s, when her passion for floristry was born. After being assigned the rose garden during chores, something sparked inside of her and she began dreaming of becoming a florist. She opted to work after high school but deep down wanted to pursue floristry. At age 22, she signed up in a horticulture program and St-Hyacinthe but was encouraged to cut her course short due to leg problems. She was later offered to join the floristry program, a costly $10,000 course, which would be covered by the school. To make ends meet and afford rent, Beaudry worked three jobs at two different florists in Sherbrooke and St-Hyacinthe, and at the hospital in Sherbrooke. Beaudry’s hard work eventually paid off, as she bought the 159, Queen Street florist shop in 1984. “It was definitely a gamble. I didn’t speak English and I was an outsider. But everyone accepted me as I was and the people in Lennoxville eventually helped me learn how to speak English!” she noted. “I already cannot believe that 35 years have gone by.” See full story in the Wednesday, Sept. 11 edition of The Record.