Above: Andrew and Maureen – two generations of the Ross Roses legacy and (right) the rose catalogue includes cultural notes and the family’s history. Photos by Heidi Lewis.
Go south go local – Built Story by Jake Dean.
After more than 119 years in business, it’s safe to say the Ross family knows a thing or two about customer service. The fourth-generation Willunga business (established 1902) is Australia’s oldest family-run rose nursery, which means they’re often helping fourth-generation gardening families. ‘It’s not uncommon to hear a new customer say, “grandma always bought her roses from you”,’ says Andrew Ross, who runs the company with his mum, Maureen. This autumn, the City of Onkaparinga is focusing on these personal relationships between customers and local businesses as part of its Go South Go Local campaign, which supports local businesses to recover and grow. While Ross Roses has had some high-profile clients throughout the years – their plants grow at Government House, Parliament House, Canberra and Kirribilli House, and most state botanic gardens –
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Andrew says they treat every customer with the same care and personal attention. History suggests it’s paying off. Andrew estimates more than a million customers have driven through their gates since they moved their operations to Willunga in the 1970s. Despite their success, Andrew and Maureen are always looking at ways they can better serve their customers. Major hardware stores have been increasingly moving into the flower space, so the Ross family is looking to the future. ‘With the largest collection of roses in Australia, we’re ideally suited to open the display garden more for tourism,’ Andrew says. ‘The new plans incorporate extra parking for cars and buses, a garden to host wedding ceremonies and a collection of Australia’s rarest rose varieties. Once achieved, we plan to open for visitors to enjoy, stay, see and taste more of what the Fleurieu has to offer.’ About ten minutes’ drive north, another local business is flourishing thanks to the relationships it has built with customers. KICCO Espresso McLaren Vale – one of the Hackham-based company’s six coffee shops across Adelaide – has been brightening its customers’ days since 2016. Owner Tyson Crosby credits his team’s laidback and welcoming vibes (as well as its A+ coffee, of course) for much of its success. ‘For many, a visit to the shop is like visiting a friend for a chat,’ says Tyson.
