[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 140 (Wednesday, October 9, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING MYERS FLOWER SHOP AS THEY CELEBRATE THEIR CENTENNIAL 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 9, 2013

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to 
join the Branford community and the Myers family as they celebrate the 
100th Anniversary of Myers Flower Shop--a remarkable milestone for this 
community institution.
  Charles Myers had a unique passion for flowers. Following his studies 
at Yale University, he dedicated himself to the establishment of a 
premier flower shop, opening his first location at 936 Chapel Street in 
New Haven, Connecticut in 1913. In 1940 the shop moved to 28 Whitney 
Avenue and just seven years later, Charles, while doing what he loved 
best, suffered a fatal heart attack at the shop. His wife, who had been 
a long-time assistant at the shop, stepped in to fill the breach until 
1950 when his son, Allan, returned home and took over the operation of 
the family business. Following Alan's passing in 1959, his wife, Sue 
took up the reins until the third generation of the Myers family, their 
son Chuck and his wife, Elsie, assumed the leadership role in 1971. 
Despite the many changes, the business flourished and a new branch was 
opened in Branford and then another in Guilford. Though the New Haven 
and Guilford shops have since closed, the Branford shop continues to be 
a staple of Branford's merchant center at its location at 1008 Main 
Street. Today, grand-daughters Lee-Ellen and Elsie run the store with 
the same strong sense of hard-work and passion that was the trademark 
of Charles Myers.
  As it was recently described by one of his grand-daughters, when 
Myers celebrated its grand-opening, life expectancy was about forty-
seven years, few doctors went to college, most babies were born at 
home, and the speed limit was set at 15 mph to prevent Model T cars 
from spooking horses. So many things have changed over the course of 
its one hundred year history, but the one constant has been the 
company's commitment to outstanding customer service. Lee-Ellen and 
Elsie remain committed to ensuring that the legacy of their grandfather 
thrives--bringing flowers from all over the world to its customers, 
offering great quality and excellent service to every client, and doing 
whatever they can to make the lives of others just a little bit 
brighter.
  In a recent article about the centennial celebration, Albert Canosa 
wrote: ``Every industry has its legacies. The Kennedys are synonymous 
with politics. The Fords are the kings of automobiles. And here in 
Branford, Connecticut, the legacy of Charles Myers is associated with 
flowers.'' Myers Flower Shop is a community treasure--a classic example 
of the American entrepreneurial spirit and the very essence of what we 
so often describe as the American Dream. I am proud to rise today to 
extend my heartfelt congratulations to Lee-Ellen, Elsie, and the entire 
Myers family as they mark this centennial celebration and wish them all 
the best for continued success.

                          ____________________