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Most people are retired at age 70. It was at that age that Ken Mayhew chose to begin a new business with his son Doug and daughter-in-law Diana. Mayhew’s Perma-Plants Ltd was incorporated on May 24th 1985. The Company now known as Mayhew’s Wholesale has blossomed into a major importer and wholesaler with customers across North America . They’ve supplied 20’ artificial trees to the Korean Olympic Village and have repeat customers in faraway places like Singapore and Hong Kong .
Ken’s original Business plan was to import artificial plants and trees and sell them to wholesales across the country. He is highly regarded by factory owners in the Orient as he pioneered an artificial flower Company named Mafco Imports in the late 1960’s, Mafco standing for Mayhew Artificial Flower Company. Ken sold Mafco in the 1980’s and entered into a comfortable retirement. He quickly became bored with that lifestyle and missed his daily involvement with the floral industry. Ken and wife Dean had been continuously active in the floral business since 1943 – the only exception was when Ken volunteered for active duty overseas during World War II.
Ken saw an opportunity to create an exciting new concept for marketing realistic artificial plants and trees. With the help of his son and daughter-in-law, Mayhew’s Perma-Plants was created. Under Ken’s watchful eye, Doug and Diana learned how to manage the fledgling Company. Unlike some seniors, Ken knew that he had to let Diana and Doug run the Company, sink or swim. After two years’ instruction, he gave them complete control, and things went swimmingly well!
During that time, two new partners had come on board - Reg & Anna-Mae Hendry. Reg & Anna-Mae had retired from Mafco and brought with them years of floral industry expertise. They became Mayhew’s Sales & Production Managers. Having four Managers allowed Ken the luxury of doing what he loved best… creating beautiful things! He worked full-time and over-time at Mayhew’s well into his 80’s. The Company grew and evolved over the years. Doug and Diana introduced florals and interior décor accessories to their product lines. For that reason, Mayhew’s Perma-Plants came to be better known as Mayhew’s Wholesale.
Doug and Diana registered the Company’s trademark, Nature’s Image®, internationally. They also introduced Berdestone® frostproof home & garden pieces along with other items such as wrought iron accessories and exquisite vases & containers. Christmas decorations are now a major part of Mayhew’s, as are exclusive artificial flowers, plants, & trees.
Reg and Anna-Mae retired in 1995 and sold back their shares in the Company. Ken remains a Director. He’ll be 93 in February 2009 and has retired (again) from the floral business that he and wife Dean have invested their lifetimes in. Dean passed away in April 2008 at the age 83. Ken has recently moved to the Tapestry at the O' Keefe retirement community in the south Granville area of Vancouver. He still drives to his nearby home of 58 years where he maintains the gardens ( weather permitting) for his daughter Clare who now lives there. When not gardening, he enjoys watching the birds at their feeder, as does his cat Pen.
Their two grandchildren are not involved in the floral industry, but there’s always the possibility that Ken will come out of retirement once again to plan a new floral business with them!
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Nature's Image® is the International
Registered Trademark of Mayhew's Perma-Plants Ltd.
© Copyright 2009 Mayhew's Perma-Plants Ltd. All rights reserved.