Posted by rvanderheide on December 1, 2025
In the News
In the News: Eastern Floral celebrates new president
As Eastern Floral celebrates its 75th year as part of the Grand Rapids community in West Michigan, and transitions to a new company president, eightWest visited the flower shop to learn more about the legacy of this family business.
The past 75 years have been marked by numerous significant events and milestones. The iconic Eastern Floral was established in 1950 by Frank DeVos. On January 9, 1960, Bing Goei and his family arrived in Grand Rapids as immigrants, where they were introduced to and welcomed by Frank, and of course, Eastern Floral. The rest is history.
In September 2025, Eastern Floral hosted a large celebration in honor of its 75th anniversary. The guest list included current and former employees of the flower shop, including a woman who worked with Frank during those very early days of Eastern Floral in 1950.
Eastern Floral was founded on the principles of valuing new customers, being honest with them, and upholding the values of customer service and quality that consistently exceed expectations, which remain in place today.
The flower shop is loved and adored by many customers and community members, whether Eastern Floral arranged their wedding flowers or was a part of other life milestones, including a first job. Families and friends throughout Grand Rapids are celebrating the legacy and the extent to which Eastern Floral is woven into the community.
Looking ahead to the next chapter of Eastern Floral, Rachael Goei Vander Heide is stepping into the role of president and owner. The honor of being at the helm of a woman-owned small business is not something she takes for granted.
“Being involved in a small local business, I recognize the importance of having the support of the community to make the choice to shop. As a woman-owned business, I hope that they can see a little bit of a woman’s touch in Eastern Floral now,” says Rachael.
Eastern Floral has always been much more than plants and flowers. With the passing of the torch from father to daughter, Rachael and her team are doing something special. The team of women is working hard to continue bringing exceptional service and beautiful products to their customers.
“Rachael will bring in her ideas, viewing business from a lens of being a woman, which is great because our diversity is our strength as well. So, I’m very proud of the fact that she’s taking over,” says Bing.
To learn more about the story of Eastern Floral, watch the full clip from eightWest below.
The past 75 years have been marked by numerous significant events and milestones. The iconic Eastern Floral was established in 1950 by Frank DeVos. On January 9, 1960, Bing Goei and his family arrived in Grand Rapids as immigrants, where they were introduced to and welcomed by Frank, and of course, Eastern Floral. The rest is history.
Eastern Floral was founded on the principles of valuing new customers, being honest with them, and upholding the values of customer service and quality that consistently exceed expectations, which remain in place today.
“Being involved in a small local business, I recognize the importance of having the support of the community to make the choice to shop. As a woman-owned business, I hope that they can see a little bit of a woman’s touch in Eastern Floral now,” says Rachael.