CARIBOU, Maine — A flower shop that has been part of Caribou’s landscape for decades is now in the hands of a new generation.
Kimber and Cindy Noyes, who nurtured Noyes Flower and Plant Shop for 50 years, have handed over the keys to Melinda Barnard. Barnard has named the shop Larkspur & Rose.
When family members aren’t able to take over a longtime operation, owners often find it difficult to find someone to carry on their legacy. And in rural Aroostook County, the pool of prospects is smaller than in Maine’s more urban areas. But Caribou has seen a boom in local business over the past few years, so more opportunities have blossomed for younger entrepreneurs.
That growth, along with a childhood dream, brought Barnard back to Aroostook County from Gardiner.
“My dad had a plant business [when I was] growing up, and he always maintained really beautiful flower gardens and even got awards for it. I have memories of working with him in the flower gardens,” she said on May 6. “It’s always been that kind of pipe dream.”
Her home in Gardiner came with extensive perennial gardens. Taking care of them and learning about all the different flowers made wheels turn in her mind, she said.
The Noyes nurtured the flower shop for 50 years.
“It means so much to us to see this space continue to thrive as a florist and greenhouse. After many years of serving this community, we’re delighted that Larkspur & Rose will carry on our passion for flowers and plants in a way that respects the history of the shop while bringing in something new. We can’t wait to see what’s next,” the couple said in a statement.
Barnard bought the shop’s inventory and website, and entered into a lease-to-own agreement in which the Noyeses will remain landlords until she is able to buy the property.
The store has been popular with generations for its floral arrangements, wreaths and decorative items — and the animated figures that appear in its brightly lit windows at holiday time. The elves and reindeer will stay, Barnard said, as will the greenhouses and commitment to fresh, local plants and flowers.
She moved back north in 2019, buying her childhood home in Caribou. She worked as the director of people and engagement for the Central Aroostook Association in Presque Isle, which serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Then in 2021, the Noyes’ shop went on the market.
She wants to change other items up a bit, bringing in more handcrafted items from Maine, New England and elsewhere in the U.S. She has added Maine artisans such as Ragged Coast Chocolates of Westbrook, Near & Native Candles of Portland and Becoming Jewelry of Kennebunk.
“My hope is to be able to have it be a destination for people when they’re looking for gifts above and beyond flowers,” she said. “I want to carry complementary items.”
She wants to gauge people’s wishes and add different items accordingly, while maintaining regular floral accounts.
She already has an idea to offer a monthly flower subscription that people can buy for loved ones.
With regard to the much-talked-about federal tariffs on imported goods, Barnard said one company she deals with is sharing the costs.
“My greenhouse plants come from New Brunswick,” she said. “That company has committed to splitting the tariffs. They didn’t want the whole burden to fall on the companies that they are providing the service to.”
The shop was busy on Tuesday, with customers browsing, picking out arrangements and staff taking phone orders. That’s all part of the lead-up to Mother’s Day, traditionally the biggest business day for florists. Barnard calls it the “Black Friday of the florist industry.”
Barnard and her husband, Jeff, who works for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Limestone, live in Caribou with their three kids. The kids have been excited about their mother’s new venture, she said.
Though this is her first time running a floral business, Kimber and Cindy Noyes have provided ongoing support, she said. Before she bought the store, she came in on weekends to work with Cindy on floral designs, and both helped her get a feel for the business.
The staff will remain small. Cindy’s sister, Sandra Bouchard, will stay until fall. Barnard has a couple of part-time assistants and will likely hire a delivery driver in the near future.
She plans to put up signage soon with the store’s new name and logo. Barnard chose Larkspur & Rose because they are the flowers of two of her children’s birth months: July (larkspur) and June (rose).
Though she found making the job transition a bit daunting, Barnard can’t wait to see where her dream takes her.
“I’ve always had it in the back of my mind that if I could do anything, this is what I would want to do,” she said. “To be able to take on a turnkey business with an established customer base just made it possible.”
