In small towns throughout Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas and Southeast Kansas, R&S Memorial Decorations has been providing beautiful, classy headstone sprays and arrangements, bunch plants and cemetery vases for half of a century. From our warehou
R&S Floral began in 1963, when Russell Schweke opened a floral wholesale warehouse after running three dry goods stores. The concept for R&S Memorial arose when Mr. Schweke believed he could make Easter baskets and Memorial Day arrangements to sell in his stores. He rented a 1,100 square foot building at St. Louis and Glenstone and would deliver his arrangements on a daily basis. Mr. Schweke's son, John started working for his father as soon as he was old enough to drive. After Mr. Schweke retired in 2006, John took over operations of R&S Memorial and focused the business solely on Memorial Day decorations and arrangements. Today, John & Alexa Schweke operate R&S Memorial out of a 19,000 square foot warehouse, about 7 miles west of I-44 and West Chestnut in Springfield. The warehouse functions year round and is fully stocked with floral arrangements for retail purchase and wholesale delivery, or stored for delivery to the Memorial Day stores. The Schweke's also operate 12-15 seasonal stores throughout communities in Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas and Southeast Kansas. R&S Memorial Decorations is proud to serve their customers and communities year after year and strives to create beautiful arrangements and lasting traditions.
I am out here at the R&S Memorial Decorations warehouse in Springfield joined by owner John. John, thanks so much for having me out. How are you? I'm wonderful. How the heck are you? I'm good. I'm good. So tell me, what exactly is this place? What do people need to know? My father started this business in 1958. He started selling memorial day decorations and he set up seasonal stores And we sell memorial day decorations for people who want to decorate their loved ones at Memorial Day. Yeah. So tell me, what is it meant to you to be able to carry on this kind of business that your father started all those years ago? I love seeing them and it's a good feeling to take care of the service that people need in the Ozarks. Yeah, absolutely. When I know you just said customers, I know the customers are, the relationships with them are really important to you all and kind of keeping up with those relationships. And so, what does it mean to you when they come in and they need your service? Kind of, how does that process work? I try to make sure everybody leaves here with a smile and they're happy and they get what they want if they spend 50 cents or if they spend $100. I want them to be very happy with what they buy from us. Yeah, and I know the customers should know as well that your staff is very welcoming, very encouraging. So tell me a little about your staff that's working here. My staff on the whole has been with us for a long, long time and they are all tremendous, very nice people and they make sure also Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it really does make all the difference. You want to be happy and what we're doing here really is so special. This is for someone that's grieving and grieving as individual on every kind of level or with every single person. So tell me this too. So obviously this is for, So tell me kind of how that works. It is. When people come out and buy something from us, they I talk to her a little bit, tell her how my life is going, my wife, I like to talk to her parents and say, Why is it so special what you do? I think it makes people feel good. And if they don't feel good, it makes them remember what Grandma did for them. I mean, people come out and say, Grandma We have red roses something. I say, yeah, we have red roses for this because that was her favorite color or grandpa We can take care of people because a lot of people remember their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts by what they Yeah, expand a lot a little more because I know you can come in and kind of buy a premade arrangement field, but you can also customize one. So how does that specific process work? So people can come in and pick out a bush and they can pick out the star phone, the base that they put it in and they can just take it home and say, well, It's Yeah, yeah. I love that. Now also, I know something that maybe has been confusing for people in the past is Yeah, we're at 323 West State Highway 266. Were open year round Monday through Friday, Monday through Sunday during the busy season of Decoration Day. And yes, they can come out anytime they'd This is a historic piece of property that was on Route 66 and it's one of the oldest freestanding motorcourts that is left on Route 66 in all seven states and it's pretty cool looking out here. It's a really cool look and it's kind of just a fun little experience. If you haven't checked it out yet, come out RNS Memorial Decorations in Springfield. John, thanks for having me out. Got a beautiful place here. This room is beautiful. Come check it out. Thank you so much.