Mr. & Mrs. Winfield S. Kircher started in the flower business in 1908 at Rochester, Indiana.  They later went to Attica, Indiana, until 1919, when they came to Defiance and took over the South Jefferson Avenue Greenhouse.  The Kircher's operated a retail store on Clinton Street until completion on the present conservatory and retail shop in 1932.  Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kress, daughter and son-in-law of the Kirchers, took over the business.  Mr. & Mrs. Kress operated Kircher’s Flowers until July 1, 1968, when Bob & Carol Belau became the owners of Kircher’s Flowers Inc.

Bob & Carol started in the greenhouse business in 1958 in Oakwood, Ohio.  They opened a retail shop in Continental in 1964.  After opening another floral outlet in Paulding in 1974, they began to phase out the Oakwood location.  On October 1, 1979, they became the owners of Mitchell’s Flowers in Napoleon.  Unlike the Paulding and Continental shops, the Napoleon location has four greenhouses.  In July of 1993 the Continental location was discontinued. 

In 1990, Keith & Julie Belau, son, and daughter-in-law of Bob & Carol, took over the business.  Keith & Julie are proud owners of a business with such proud heritage.  You will find that they are maintaining the Kircher policy of giving their customers the best quality merchandise available.

Kircher’s Flowers grows almost 75% of all the plants and flowers sold in the three locations.  There is over 40,000 square feet of greenhouse located in Defiance.  Annual production of cut flowers includes 26,000 gerbera daisies, 1,000 asters, 1,500 pompons, 15,000 snapdragons, 2,000 daffodils, and 3,000 other spring bulbs.  Liatris, freesia, anemones, alstoemeria, yarrow, delphinium, and coreopsis are also grown.  Annual pot production includes 1,500 cyclamen, 500 calceolaria, 300 cineraria, 40,000 geraniums, 1,000 violets, 3,000 ferns and 9,000 assorted foliage.



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