“I’m just looking forward to having everyone come in and I hope to bring something to the town that everyone will love,” she said.
The name came from owner Samantha Huxtable’s love of French bulldogs. She named the business in memory of one of her beloved Frenchies that she lost in February. As a lover of dogs of all kinds, she plans to incorporate some fun canine décor into her business.
Huxtable brings a wealth of experience to The Frenchie Garden. Her mother, a florist in upstate New York for 36 years, retired and moved to Prescott in 2023. Huxtable, who learned the florist business from her mom, visited and fell in love with the area.
“I love the people here, everyone seems really nice and the vibe of the town – it’s a small, tightly knit community that reminds me of back home,” she said, adding that she enjoys seeing so many dogs. “Just seeing everyone walking their dogs and the dog friendly businesses is very homey. You don’t see that a lot in upstate New York.”
Within a month of visiting, Huxtable bought land in Williamson Valley, packed up her two Frenchies and a bulldog and “hit the road.”
A four-year U.S. Army veteran who also served two years in the National Guard, Huxtable said her military experience taught her skills that she now uses in her business.
When her mom got a new job in Reno, Nevada, Huxtable and her partner, Nathan, decided to start The Frenchie Garden, incorporating the inventory from her mother’s old shop. But Huxtable is excited to add her own ideas and varied plants, gifts and décor to create a great mix that will appeal to a wide array of shoppers looking for something special.
Her ideas for the new shop promise fun and warmth. “We’ll have general home- and garden-type things in the shop – floral home décor and fresh plants, candles, gifts and succulents.”
She also wants to offer a flower bar so shoppers can choose and build their own arrangements. Once open, she’ll host flower arranging classes at night with wine and snacks, and during the holidays, arts, crafts and wreath-making classes. “I’ll be doing a lot of different things creatively.”
Dog lovers will find plenty besides Frenchie portraits and décor. She already has a framed portrait of her Frenchie to hang in the new business. She plans to carry dog treats, doggie charcuterie boards, dog “wine” (broth), and more.
Along with wanting to carry on her mom’s floral legacy, Huxtable wants to become truly immersed in her new hometown. “We want a lot of feedback from customers and we want to be involved with the community. I would love to see local businesses thriving off of each other; I think it helps us to work together. It’s really important to bounce ideas off of each other, even competitors.”
The Frenchie Garden is located at 226 S. Montezuma, next to Vibes Juice Bar and just up the street from the Courthouse Plaza.
“We’re hoping to help draw foot traffic to the smaller businesses surrounding The Frenchie Garden. People will be able to stop in and get fresh flowers to go, and we offer same day delivery. People seem eager to have us open,” she said.
Along with convenient drop-in flower and plant purchases, The Frenchie Garden offers all aspects of floral service, including wire services for both traditional and contemporary bouquets. Arrangements can be ordered for all occasions and artificial arrangements are available, as well.
The Frenchie Garden also provides floral services for large events such as weddings and funerals. Local delivery is free.
“I’m just looking forward to having everyone come in and I hope to bring something to the town that everyone will love,” she said.
The Frenchie Garden will be showcasing its table arrangements as a sponsor of the Prescott-Area
ATHENA Leadership Awards on Friday, Sept. 20, at Starting Point in the Pine Ridge Marketplace. QCBN
By Heidi Dahms Foster, QCBN
Photo by Kay Lyons: Samantha Huxtable puts her military experience to work in her new flower shop.
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