This article is part of Business Buzz, a series designed to showcase small businesses that have a big impact on the community. Participants featured will include the local businesses that make up the fabric of Big Rapids and the surrounding region.
BIG RAPIDS – Gardening and the outdoors have always been two passions that LeeAnn LeGree wanted to pursue in one form or another.
Nine years ago, she decided she no longer wanted to work in a bank and instead chose to get her hands dirty at a full-time gig.
As a result, LeeAnn’s flowers and vegetables have sprung up, and it has been a favorite haunt for flower lovers in Big Rapids and the surrounding area for nearly a decade.
“I was a bank manager at a credit union in Grand Rapids for years, and I knew I didn’t want to do this anymore and wanted to do something for myself,” said LeGree. “So I quit my job there and retired, came home to play and decided flowers would be a great way to do it.”
LeGree said she loves being around nature and has had gardens for most of her life, deciding to turn it into a business venture for the past 10 years.
It has been at its current location on North State Street in Big Rapids since LeeAnn’s first opened.
In the early years of her business, LeGree said she was the one who planted all of her products to sell them, but over time that turned out to be easier said than done.
“As I grew older, I couldn’t continue to follow the offer,” said LeGree. “I originally had two greenhouses here; As my business grew, I could only grow enough for my first week or so. I am generally open five to eight weeks during the summer. “
Since then, she has turned to various local family farms to make custom crops for her.
The time and care that LeGree devotes to each plant, coupled with their constant dedication to their customers, is part of what makes LeeAnn such an individual experience.
LeGree said she loves seeing the familiar faces of her loyal customers returning season after season and appreciates all the support she has received over the years.
“We have tons of reps and a lot of new clients coming in every year, so it’s a lot of fun,” said LeGree. “I had a lot of support within the community and I am very grateful to them because I wouldn’t be here without them.”
There is a lot of trust and respect between LeGree and its many clients; she has a 24-hour drop box on her doorstep and a Venmo QR code so individuals can pay for their goods, even when LeGree can’t be physically at her storefront.
While the honor system may seem like a relic of the past, it’s part of what makes LeeAnn’s bond with the community so strong.
“This is my version of self-pay,” LeGree said. “I’ve been here for a long time now, and I think the Big Rapids community is a really good community overall and they care.”
IF YOU ARE GOING TO:
• Address: 1205 N. State Street, Big Rapids
• Contact: 616-430-3004
• Hours: open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.