Jim Gobert, owner of Bonnie Brae Flowers, started working at the 747 S. University Blvd. store as a kid, helping out his parents who bought the place in the 1960s from the original owners, who set up shop in 1941.
“My parents came to work here in 1949,” Gobert said. “They worked here until, in the ’60s, they were given an opportunity to buy into the business. My mom was still working here almost every day until a year and a half ago. Dad still helps me during the holidays. My brother and all of our kids have worked here, and I’ve worked here my entire life. It’s like the ultimate American family business.”
But the ultimate American family business with the familiar sign shining along University Boulevard will soon go dark. Gobert is leaving the flower shop filled with memories and moving to his second location at 5595 E. Evans Ave.
“Our lease is up (on the original location) in June, so we had to make a decision: Do we stay or do we go?” he said. “I only change that decision three or four dozen times a day.”
Gobert sees the opportunity for growth in the Evans Avenue location he owns, which offers parking along with a 550-square-foot walk-in cooler where customers can shop. He is undecided on a specific closing date for the University store but figures he will stay open until after the lucrative Valentine’s Day business.
“It’s a positive time in our life, but kind of sad for sure,” Gobert said. “I grew up in this neighborhood, went to school in this neighborhood. My kids grew up in this neighborhood. We go to restaurants in this neighborhood, and we go to church in this neighborhood. Leaving will be bittersweet.”
Pages for parrots.
I told you Tuesday how you can opt out of receiving Dex Yellow Pages and Yellowbook deliveries dumped at your doorstep. In most cases, unwanted books end up in the recycling bin, or worse, the trash.
Reader Cheryl Northern came up with a dandy re-use of unwanted phone books — pass them on to parrots and other birds at The Gabriel Foundation, a nonprofit parrot welfare organization licensed by the state of Colorado.
You might have read about the recent raid on a Pueblo home where 42 birds were rescued and transported to The Gabriel Foundation headquarters in Denver.
“The books are put in the cages for the birds to shred,” Northern wrote in an e-mail. You can drop off the books at 1025 Acoma St. The overflow will be sent to the foundation’s compound in Elizabeth. More info: 303-695-5900 or .
Birthday Bob.
Legendary lawyer Bob Inman, a founding partner of Inman Flynn Biesterfeld Brentlinger & Moritz, celebrated his 90th birthday Monday in the Larimer Place condominiums party room.
Inman, a 1947 CU law school grad who never missed a CU football game until his eyesight weakened a few years ago, was joined by Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey; State Rep. Joel Judd; Inman’s wife, Betty, and a host of others.
Gifts included a replica Vail ski resort trail sign emblazoned Bob Inman’s Trail.
EAVESDROPPING
A man commenting on a snowboarder’s outfit with a big buckle during the Snow Industries of America fashion show in the Colorado Convention Center on Wednesday:
“He must have won it (at the rodeo) in Cheyenne.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
