More than 35 years ago, Susan Crenshaw made a life-changing decision.
A friend – who later became her husband – urged the New Port Richey native to move from her home base in Pasco County to Alaska.
“Alaska is the place you need to be,” he told her.
At the time, there weren’t many jobs available at home, so she took his advice.
She wound up loving it.
“I like the outdoors and love animals,” Crenshaw said.
She also found plenty of opportunities to pursue her career passion – floral design.
Now, 35 years later, she is living in Spring Hill.
And, at age 58, she thought she was on a path to retirement, and living close to her children.
But, in October, she opened The Lakes Floral and Gifts Inc., at 6755 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Wisteria Plaza.
After years of working for other shop owners, Crenshaw became a first-time business owner.
So much for retirement.
“I got bored,” she explained.
Her shop offers custom-designed floral arrangements for all occasions.
She also offers an assortment of gifts and selected artwork.
There are fresh flowers, silk flowers, live plants, balloons, stuffed animals, soaps, and handcrafted cards, bottles and beadwork.
One gift item is a graphite pencil and a “Wishing Stone,” created by sculptor Kelly Barker.
Artwork can be painted on the stone’s surface in water. As the water evaporates, the art disappears and the stone is ready for another artistic creation.
She also features works by local artists.
She plans to display artists’ works on a rotating basis — featuring one artist’s work for about two months and then bringing in new works from another artist.
Her own paintings are on display, too.
She began painting when she was young, noting that her mother painted, so she grew up with it.
Just as Alaska didn’t become her permanent address, her career choice didn’t follow the direction she expected it to take, either.
She attended what was then known as Pasco-Hernando Community College, majoring in art, with a minor in business.
Across the hallway, she noticed an adult education class on the basics of floral design.
She decided to give that a try, and was hooked.
“It gets into your blood,” Crenshaw said. “You can’t get away from it.”
Though moving to Alaska might seem a leap to some people, Crenshaw said Anchorage, the state’s largest city, worked well for her.
“It has a symphony orchestra that is fabulous, and opera,” she said. “And, 10 minutes outside town, you’re in the wilderness with moose and bears.”
In Florida, people move from air-conditioned buildings to air-conditioned cars. In Alaska, it’s from heated buildings to heated cars, Crenshaw said.
Not a big adjustment, she said.
“It was great.”
She painted and was an avid photographer.
She worked as a florist.
At one time, she was florist at a base exchange at Elmendorf Air Base in Anchorage.
Crenshaw also worked in management for the supermarket company, Safeway, which is now owned by Albertson’s.
Still, floral design is her first love.
She took classes in floral design in California from Phil Rulloda, a designer who is nationally known.
When she made the decision to open her Land O’ Lakes shop, she researched and observed.
“We sat in parking lots and scoped areas out,” she said.
Her son suggested she check out Land O’ Lakes as a place where new development was happening.
“I remembered Land O’ Lakes as the old Land O’ Lakes,” she said.
But, new subdivisions are coming, including one on former Lester Dairy farmland. More retail is coming, too.
Crenshaw saw “a nice, busy place,” and settled on Wisteria Plaza, where Capital Tacos restaurant is located.
She also likes the family feel of the plaza.
“Everyone looks out for each other here,” she said.
So, she is home again in Pasco County, doing what she loves.
Published November 22, 2017
