GOD BLESS TEXAS

AMARILLO

A few years back I made a promise to visit every Greenleaf Wholesale location.  Out of 16 stores, I had not visited Amarillo, Albuquerque or Texarkana, until last week; instead of going to WFFSA, (which I heard was a good show), I flew to Amarillo, Texas. 

Greenleaf Amarillo is run by Gary Dunn with a crew of 6 and is the definition of doing a lot of work to sell flowers. 

Amarillo has a population of 150,000 and four in-town flower shops.  For Gary and his crew to be profitable, they have to drive 2 to 3 hours in each direction to service the small towns surrounding Amarillo.  It is hard to believe but in the same day, Gary’s drivers could be in 4 states: Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico or Colorado.   If you are a grower, you might appreciate that someone else works as hard as you do to deliver beautiful flowers.

BIG TEXAN

I was only in Amarillo for a short time, but I think I took advantage of many of its pleasures.  The hotel I stayed in offered complimentary cocktails, not just one, but 3 each day.  I felt like I was at WFFSA.  

Of course, I had to go to the Big Texan to have a steak.  I didn’t have the 72 ounce steak, but I saw it.  The 72 ounce steak is free if you can eat it in an hour, plus all the side dishes. If you don’t finish the steak, you have to pay $72.  I should have tried it anyway.  In California, a little steak can cost $72.  

On the way out of town on Interstate 40, I stopped by the Cadillac Ranch made famous by Bruce Springsteen.  I enjoyed walking around the Cadillacs, it is clever and iconic.  I am trying to decide what we can artistically bury on the side of the greenhouse, maybe some gerbera carts.  

RHK