Family legacy blooms
in Avon for decades
For nearly 70 years, the Mensch family in Avon has helped color the world for locals and thousands of people in the surrounding five-state area with high-quality plants.
“We try and grow the best quality,” Lyle Mensch says. “It almost has to be perfect.”
Lyle and his son Korey Mensch grow vegetables, flower baskets, and plants at Mensch Greenhouse on the southwest edge of Avon, specializing in petunias and geraniums. They sell their products wholesale to thousands of customers through more than 120 independent retailers in South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming.
The father-son duo also supplies the Mensch Retail Greenhouse & Flower Shop with what they need to make and sell floral arrangements directly to customers. Lyle’s niece Carol Tolsma and her husband Vern run it on the other side of Avon.
“It’s nice, because we just put our flowers onto the back of the flat bed and bring them across town,” she says.
A separate retail location helps differentiate between retail and wholesale, Carol says. This allows her to provide a more focused and personalized experience for her customers.
Ada Mensch opened her own greenhouse in Avon in 1957. Her son Lyle joined her a decade later, and 2024 is his 57th year with Mensch Greenhouse. Ada’s granddaughter Carol and her husband Vern have also spent decades in the family greenhouse business. The Mensch family members have well over 100 years of greenhouse and floral experience combined. 
Deep community roots
The family supports Avon and the surrounding communities, as well. Lyle and Korey take care of the plants on Avon’s Main Street. They also maintain a community garden where locals can harvest fresh produce and contribute to local schools and projects in different towns.
Carol and Vern have a garden, too, growing all types of produce over two acres. They preserve their harvest by canning and even make wine, and they offer their fresh and canned goods to locals through their retail business. In addition, the couple commemorates countless community milestones such as weddings, anniversaries, and funerals with their local deliveries of floral arrangements.
The Mensch family all appreciate their hometown of Avon. “We’ve always lived here,” Carol says. “I couldn’t think of being anywhere else.”
Embracing technology, services
Lyle and Korey say technology has made their entire business expansion easier. As Golden West customers, they’ve also adapted to a digital approach.
“The whole business is on a handheld phone,” Lyle says. “We couldn’t operate without Golden West services.”
Carol and Vern also appreciate the support they receive from Golden West services.
“Golden West services have allowed us to successfully run our business web pages, Facebook, and order placements,” Carol says. “We couldn’t get by without it.”
