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| Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott Gail Nadeau of Caribou was in the holiday shopping mood on Sunday as she visited Noyes Flower and Plant Shoppe in Caribou during the annual open house. See more photos on page 8A. |
By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
If you happened to travel across Franklin Street in Caribou on Sunday, you might have thought someone was having a post Thanksgiving gathering when in fact it was the annual holiday open house at Noyes Flower and Plant Shoppe. Even though the grass is still green and the temperatures have been varying from brisk to quite mild, it was obvious that local residents have the rapidly approaching holidays on the top of their lists.
Open from noon to 4 p.m., Sunday’s traditional open house was definitely everything any shopper could hope for, not only was the entire shop transformed into a Christmas wonderland but once again Santa’s elves were hard at work in the windows, tugging at the heartstrings of childhood memories.
“We couldn’t have hoped for better,†said Kimber Noyes, who with his wife Cindy have been in the florist business in Caribou for 35 years; 22 of them at their present location. “The weather was a definite plus, had it been snowing we might not have had such a great turnout — you just never know what to expect,†added Noyes.
With vehicles parked three deep in the yard as well as lining the street, it was obvious that the holiday spirit had certainly arrived, just like the animated figures in the windows, some of which have been a staple of the season and the business location for nearly 60 years.
Even though the difficult economic times are apt to play havoc with the priority of items on everyone’s lists; expendable cash not entirely what shoppers would like it to be Noyes said they were very pleased with the success of Sunday’s event. “The open house was good if not better than last year and I would have to say it was much better than three years go,†stated Noyes. “We were so pleased with the turnout, it was all we had hoped it would be.
“Best of all,†he added with sincerity, “we saw lots of familiar faces, many news ones and everyone was in good spirits.â€
