Dale Rohman, nationally renowned florist and former co-owner of George Waldbart Florist in Ladue, moved to New Town in St. Charles five years ago with pooch companion Dolly. He hasn’t looked back since: The community’s tight-knit, quaint vibe and his combination home/boutique shop provide the perfect backdrop for a contented life.
T&S | What prompted your move to New Town?
Dale Rohman | My wife Joan passed away about seven years ago. Two years later, I decided I needed to make a change. I wanted a little boutique shop to keep me busy, and I wanted to be able to live upstairs. I went around looking for places with my dog Dolly, who is the new lady in my life. The moment I drove into New Town, I said to Dolly, I think this is where we’re going to land. They had the kind of space I was looking for, and the rest is history.
T&S | What do you like about the community?
DR | Everything is within walking distance—I can walk to the post office, the deli and restaurants. And everybody knows everybody here. I walk Dolly twice a day, and everyone says, “Hi, Dolly” from across the road. It’s very homey and warm. At my age, what I’m looking for is an easy, relaxed lifestyle. It’s soothing out here, far from the the maddening crowd.
T&S | Tell me about your florist shop, The Second-Hand Rose.
DR | It’s a little boutique shop that sells secondhand, upscale merchandise. I still freelance as a florist, and here on the weekends we also sell fresh flowers. Upstairs is actually two apartments. I rent out one, and Dolly and I live in the other.
T&S | What do you like about your living space?
DR | It’s like a nice-fitting glove. It’s not a huge space, but it’s the perfect size for Dolly and me. It’s comfortable, warm and inviting.
T&S | Tell me about your home’s decor.
DR | I’m a really sentimental guy. I kept some pieces from my old home, special pieces that were my wife’s favorites. She and I collected antiques, so I kept those, as well as her collection of dark pewter. My wife is very much a presence in this space. She’s everywhere, and there’s a little story behind almost everything.
T&S | Are the glass apples and apothecary jars special?
DR | Those are my treasures. The cabinet is an antique barber shop cabinet. The little apothecary jars I’ve picked up and collected over the years. The apples have a special story, too. When one of my daughters was a little kid, she would draw trees with apples in them, so that’s become a special thing between the two of us. There’s also frogs on the top shelf of that cabinet. I have seven grandchildren, and I told them all when they were very small that I used to be a frog until their grandmother kissed me and turned me into a handsome prince. Now my grandkids are between 13 and 25, but they still love that story, and they inundate me with frogs.
T&S | Where did you get your antiques?
DR | When I was first married, we did a lot of searching on Main Street in Old Town St. Charles. We also used to go to Troy, Missouri, and Moscow Mills—that’s where we found most of our things. That was more than 50 years ago, so those places were not so grown up, and you could find really nice pieces of furniture.
T&S | Your patio looks like a nice space. Do you use it often?
DR | That used to be a parking space, but I turned it into a little patio. When I had my house in Chesterfield, I had a fabulous flower garden. I wanted someplace where I could have some pots in the garden and get my hands in the dirt. Dolly and I often sit there and have a glass of wine and do a little reading.
Photos: Suzy Gorman