Paul Beale's Flowers in West Oak Lane has been family-run since 1971

If you're looking for flowers for a special occasion, there's a florist in the West Oak Lane section of the city that's been family-owned and going strong for more than half a century.

Altermese Beale still comes in daily to help her family at Paul Beale's Flowers.

"My husband and I opened up this shop in 1971, just the two of us," says Beale.

She founded the business with her late husband, Paul, who convinced her that he could do the arranging for their own shop after managing someone else's business for 16 years.

Beale says when they started the business, they had three children in college.

"But every night he came home he used to tell me, 'Hon we can do this!'," she says.

So they took the chance.

"We just worked hard," she says. "Been here for 53 years, been a wonderful life."

Now two of their daughters run the shop, along with their grandson and great-grandson.

"A lot of families can't work together, but we seem to do it very well," says Carolyn Beale, office manager for Paul Beale's Flowers.

"So it's four generations of us," says Altermese Beale. "It's wonderful."

Paul Beal, Sr. says his grandfather taught them "everything from the ground up." They each have their roles.

"I'm mostly telephone, taking orders, customers in the store," says Carolyn Beale.

"I buy all the stock. I make sure we have everything we need," says Paulette Beale, owner of Paul Beale's Flowers.

Paul Beale, Sr. and his son do all the floral design work.

"We make all the arrangements from funerals, the weddings, the corsages, birthdays," says Beale, Sr.

"Flowers really do trend," says Paulette Beale.

She says now they get a lot of requests for roses and lilies in compact arrangements, whereas before, exotic flowers in big arrangements were preferred by customers.

"When you make it, you gotta put love into it," says Beale, Sr. "Your feelings kind of come out of your work."

Beale, Jr. says, "it's just the little things" that make a big difference with arranging, like "being neat" and turning and twisting flowers until it looks right.

"It's just fun," says Beale, Sr.

The family says hard work was instilled in them. Paulette Beale says her dad always told them that "people will come as long as you give them good service."

"He and my mom built a great legacy, and we're just keeping it going for them, and for us," says Carolyn Beale. "I think my dad is smiling, wherever he is."

"It makes me proud," says Beale, Sr.

"We're truly blessed," says Altermese Beale.

For more information:

Paul Beale's Flowers online: PaulBealesFlorist.com/

Paul Beale's Flowers