We would like to acknowledge and thank the Galt Museum, the Edmundson Family and Marquis Friends for their contribution of pictures, newspaper archives and shared memories of Marquis Flower Shop.
The Marquis Hotel was opened in 1928 in downtown Lethbridge on the corner of 4th avenue and 7th street south. It was a community hotel at first. Shares were issued to members of the community when the hotel was built until it was sold many years later to Calgary interests. At one point the Marquis Hotel was part of the Inns of Canada hotel conglomerate. The 4 storey, 78 room hotel was built for $250,000 and was named to honor the development of Canada’s famous Marquis variety of hard wheat. Newcomers to Lethbridge soon learned the hotel was not called the “Markee”, it’s the “Marquis”, just like it’s spelled.
It was quite a fancy building and it was the premier hotel in Lethbridge … with a banquet room that would hold up to 250 people and a mezzanine which was up between the first floor of rooms above the street level businesses. Marquis developed a solid reputation as being the classiest hotel in Lethbridge, known for good entertainment, top accommodation and fine dining.
There were a lot of dignitaries who stayed at the hotel, like Bing Crosby, Gene Autry and numerous politicians, including John Diefenbaker. George Chuvalo (Canadian boxer) and Ingemar Johansen (former world heavyweight champion) stayed at the Marquis Hotel. Businesses located in the Hotel in the early years included Marquis Flower Shop (then owned by Medicine Hat Greenhouses), Sutherland Drug Company, Marquis Beauty Shop, and Marquis Coffee Shop (operated by Sven Ericksen). It was also home to CJOC (Lethbridge’s first radio station) which began broadcasting in 1927.
Marquis Flower Shop was first opened under the management of The Medicine Hat Greenhouses and located on the ground floor of the Marquis Hotel. It was then purchased in 1936 by Florence Mahon who was formerly associated with Frache’s Flowers. She managed the flower shop for two years before retiring. Fred Edmundson bought the flower shop business from Florence Mahon in July, 1938. He paid $50 for the inventory and the store fixtures and agreed to take on the debt. Florists Telegraph Delivery (FTD) had formed in 1914 to facilitate the trade of domestic and international flower orders within the Association of American Florists. Marquis Flower Shop became affiliated with FTD in 1939. The Shop had a main floor entrance and a retail display area and flower cooler. Down in the basement it had an area for an office and a work room.
Back in 1909, Thomas Leigh Clark opened the first flower shop in Lethbridge out of his home at 604 Cutbill Street (10th Street South). In 1912 Clark was joined by George Taylor, J.E. Terrill and the Frache Brothers, who all opened florist shops in Lethbridge, some of them also building full greenhouses to grow their wares.
The 1930s saw a boom in flower shops, florists and greenhouses. Marquis Flower Shop, originally established by the Medicine Hat Greenhouses with manager H. Coventry, was purchase by Fred Edmundson in 1938.
It was late in the fall of 1985 that the Marquis Hotel was forced to shut its doors for good when provincial inspectors refused to certify the hotel’s heating system for continued operation. The Royal Bank had foreclosed on buyers earlier in the year and decided they would not repair the boiler problems due to high costs. With the hotel in receivership, RBC ordered the receivers to shut down the boiler and evacuate the building in late 1985. The bank was aware of the Marquis Hotel’s significance to Lethbridge. Spokesman said “The problem is compounded by the feeling of history”.
The Marquis Hotel business was put up for sale by Peat Marwick Ltd. (receivers) with no offers received that were even close to the $1 million real estate market value. “Current tough economic times aren’t the major reason there hasn’t been a flurry of good offers on the hotel. The Marquis requires extensive upgrading to its boiler, roof repairs, fireproofing and room improvements.” (Peat Marwick Senior Manager)
It would be only three years later (Feb-2011) that Lynne passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Some time after the loss of his wife and business partner Dan made the decision to step away from the flower business and start his retirement.
The assets of Marquis Flower Shop were purchased by his sister and brother-in-law, Cindy and Merlyn Howg, effective August 1, 2016. Marquis Flower Shop continues to operate at its location on the corner of Stafford Drive and 3rd Avenue South in Lethbridge. The year is now 2025 and Marquis Flower Shop has entered its 94th year of business in the City of Lethbridge.
*While Supplies Last
