ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Walter Knoll Florist – a business that began in St. Louis in 1883 – is having to closes almost all of its stores due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Co-owner, Chuck Knoll says, "We have closed all the neighborhood stores but we are still open at the florist row store and Arnold landscaping."
The fifth-generation company has140 employees and has laid off 115. Knoll says, "The employees are being taken care of. While many are not working most are still getting paid and we are cycling them downtown. Overall we are the making it work."
He says weddings and events have been delayed or called off and funerals are still happening but at a greatly reduced rate. Knoll tells KMOX they will still deliver to funeral homes and customer's homes.
The shop has permission to have 10 workers in its warehouse and they are cutting grass out from the Arnold location.
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The Ballwin, South County, O'Fallon and Ladue branch stores are closed until further notice and the florist's main location in downtown on LaSalle Street is closed to customers but in limited operation.
"Every day we face new challenges, but today we can fill every order placed on the phone or online," Knoll says. "We are a family and a strong business and we will come through this."
"Hopefully, we will be re-opening soon," the shop's website states.
Reporting by KMOX's Carol Daniel
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