Little Denmark closes its flower business

Emily Southwood - In January, 2018, the owners and operators of Hemmingford’s Little Denmark Flower Shop and Greenhouses closed the door on fifty-seven years in the flower business. Their many customers in Southern Quebec, The Chateauguay Valley and Upstate New York will dearly miss the family-run shop. When contacted by The Gleaner, proprietors Leif and Norma Jacobsen expressed their gratitude to their longtime customers and friends. Leif chuckled, remembering that he would also have to cancel the advertisement, which has run in The Gleaner’s various incarnations for as long as he can remember. Leif and Norma Jacobsen first opened the doors of their family business in 1961 on Roxham Road, after considering settling in Napierville. Instead they raised their two sons on the shop’s adjoining property, sold flowers, and became longtime collectors of antiques. “It’s been a very good life,” Leif said looking around at the impressive array of collectables and explaining that the antique portion of the business will continue to operate. “I have to have something to do!” he says. Their collection includes some 500 duck decoys, miniature oil lamps, hand-woven baskets, and many other eclectic treasures that the two have scoured the region to find over the years. The store’s name—Little Denmark—refers to Leif’s heritage. He immigrated to Canada at eighteen years old from Denmark, whereas Norma grew up just down the road here in Quebec. The Jacobsen’s expressed that they have truly enjoyed their many years in business and their friendships within the community. As for their newly acquired leisure time, it will be spent with family, perhaps traveling and continuing on their other mutual passion of collecting antiques. “I probably won’t miss getting up at 4am anymore to buy flowers in the city!” Leif chuckles about the pros of retiring the flower portion of the business. “The time has come to transition to a new portion of our journey and we say thank you to our customers and friends in English, French and Danish.”