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In 1941, Jon Anthony and his wife left Flint in a truck with no windshield. His total possessions were little more than the contents of the truck, $1,200 earned from playing saxophone in a band ... and a dream. Arriving in Lansing, the Anthonys rented a building and started Jon Anthony Florist. Short on cash, they slept in the back of the truck, their meals consisting mostly of cooked beans prepared on the tailgate.
From that humble beginning grew Lansing's largest florist, located at 809 East Michigan in downtown Lansing. It didn't happen overnight, however. According to Robert Anthony, Jon Anthony's grandson and manager of Jon Anthony Florist, the business struggled for years, a struggle that underscores the importance of a business plan and good accountants and lawyers.
"Until 1969 things were tough," said Robert. "Grandpa knew flowers, but had trouble with the business side. In 1969 the shop was close to bankruptcy. Some major decisions and changes were made that really turned things around. A good accountant and a good lawyer were retained, and a business plan was developed and implemented. Since then, Grandpa has developed into one of Lansing's best businessmen and the business has been very successful."
Asked about the relationship between Jon Anthony Florist and Rick Anthony's Flower Shoppe, Robert laughs and admits that people sometimes confuse the two. "Jon Anthony is my Grandpa, and Rick Anthony is my dad, but the businesses are separate," said Robert. "Years ago Grandpa bought Don Q Flowers and changed the name to Anthony's Flowers. My dad ran it, eventually bought it, and changed the name to Rick Anthony's Flower Shoppe."