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Amazing Dads: David Watson, Co-Owner of Flowerama Las Cruces
The engineer-turned-flower shop owner is proud of how his children have bloomed into adults.
May 15, 2025
In late 1984, David and Donna Watson saw an ad in their local newspaper looking for Flowerama franchisees and, Donna being an avid gardener and lover of plants, jumped right in.
They opened the store in the Mesilla Valley Mall in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in 1985 and ran it for 10 years, before closing the shop in 1995. In 1990, they opened a second, free-standing location in a shopping center. (All this time, David was working as an electrical engineer at White Sands Missile Range, a job he held until 1998, at which point he retired and went to work full-time in the flower shop.)
When the Watsons' children, Derek and Danette, were old enough, they started to help out at the family business, fulfilling and delivering orders. (1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., the parent company of Harry & David, acquired Flowerama in 2011.)
Derek has since moved away, but Danette, and her husband, William, are store managers, doing, David estimates, "75% of the work." "Danette is a very creative designer. Donna is still very involved. I'm a glorified bookkeeper," he jokes. One part of his life that he doesn't joke about is how much he loves being a dad.
What is your proudest dad moment?
It's not a moment — I'm proud of my two children every day. They've both grown up to be good and thoughtful adults.
What words of wisdom do you have for other dads?
Teach your children that actions have consequences — good and bad. And be there for them either way.
What is your dream Father's Day scenario?
Just having my kids with me. That's what makes me happy.
AUTHOR
Mickey Brown is senior editor, floral & gifts in the 1-800-Flowers.com Content Studio. In this role, he manages content production, strategy, and operations for the blog Petal Talk. Previously, he was associate editor in the NBC News Brand Studio, where he developed content campaigns for EY, McKinsey & Company, Salvation Army, and other global brands. Before that, he was managing producer of the website icenetwork.com, and spent years in sports marketing and communications.
