For Green Bay flower shop owner, surprise chance to film 'Fox NFL Sunday' Packers spot with Jordan Love was 'just wonderful'

GREEN BAY - Uppercase or lowercase, love sometimes works in mysterious ways.

Nobody knows that better than Jamie Hemenway-Peotter, who still can’t quite believe how the power of “love” and the thrill of Jordan Love magically crossed paths at her business on Ninth Street on Green Bay’s west side last week and then showed up on national television on Sunday.

“The whole thing was just wonderful,” she said.

Hemenway-Peotter owns Roots on 9th, a floral design shop and greenhouse that landed a starring role in the Green Bay Packers fans segment that aired during the “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame show ahead of the NFC wild-card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Green Bay Packers: The Jordan Love Era begins now | FOX NFL Sunday

Inspired by the film “Love Actually” and featuring The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows,” it shows locals — snow shovelers, firefighters, diners, fans in the stands — embracing the era of Love as the new Packers quarterback and, in an ode to the airport montage of the movie, sometimes embracing one another, too.

You could almost feel the city’s collective heart swell when it aired.

The roughly two-minute video also features the man himself, which is where Roots comes in. 

It opens with Love working at the flower shop, walking through the greenhouse in an apron and then standing behind the register as he puts the finishing touches on a floral arrangement for a customer, who just happens to be Hemenway-Peotter. That’s also her at the end getting a hug from Love as he sends her out the door of the business with her bouquet.

“It was crazy. I still am just grinning ear to ear,” she said Monday morning. “And the feedback we’ve gotten, the calls, the texts, the messages through Facebook and Instagram, it’s really humbling.”

Jordan Love was funny and genuine during the filming

It all kind of sprouted up out of nowhere.

Hemenway-Peotter was catching up on some desk work at Roots on 9th last Wednesday when she glanced up at the business cameras and saw several cars pull in about an hour before closing time. She couldn’t help but notice they were all men.

She heard one of them tell the employee who waited on them they were from Fox Sports and were interested in bringing Love in to film a segment and wondered if that’s something Roots might be open to.

“By that point I was already out of my chair and walking out there and shaking my head, ‘Yes, yes!’” Hemenway-Peotter said.

She’s not entirely sure what led them to her business, but she knows the giant “love” spelled out in flowers hanging on the outside of the building didn’t hurt. It’s an art piece they get out ahead of Valentine’s Day each year. They had just put it up15 minutes before the crew stopped in.

“I don’t know if that’s what helped draw them in or if they were already thinking a flower shop and we just came up and they thought they’d pop in and take a look,” she said. “But that’s what he said: ‘It’s so perfect that you have "love" on the front of the building.’”

The producers already had an idea in mind for the shoot, but before they returned for filming on Thursday afternoon, Hemenway-Peotter was at the shop at the crack of dawn primping to ensure the small business she opened in 2016 looked its best for TV.

“I don’t know where the camera is going to go, so I was fluffing everything. Every inch of the store was kind of touched and dusted and made to look good.”

More:In honor of Jordan Love and the Packers' playoff run, a playlist of a few favorite 'love' songs

For his part, Love was in and out in 15 or 20 minutes. He was funny, Hemenway-Peotter said, and the two shared a laugh when he stumbled over his line during the first take.

“We had this moment where we were just laughing ... we’re both just cracking up. He said, ‘I’m nervous.' (I said) 'Me, too.'" Hemenway-Peotter said. "It was so just genuine. He was genuine. I think that’s what I would say most about him. It was just a wonderful experience.”

It all went so quickly that after it was over she wished she had asked him for a photo or an autograph.

“But he’s just a normal guy, and I didn’t want to make him feel obligated,” she said.

She did, however, get to do something that every Packers fan in the world probably wanted to do after Love’s performance in a stunning 48-32 defeat of the Cowboys: give him a hug.

The two did three takes of the hug scene as she’s leaving the shop with her flowers. One of the times, the crew wasn’t quite ready for the shot but she had already moved in so they told her to just go ahead.

“So I got a bonus hug," she said.

Bay Family Restaurant's 'old-school' Packers fans featured, too

Not far away from Roots on 9th, Bay Motel & Family Restaurant, 1301 S. Military Ave., also scored some camera time in the segment. It’s the third or fourth time “Fox NFL Sunday” has visited the business that has been around since 1958, said manager Greg Madsen.

“They said they love the atmosphere here. There’s a lot of old-school guys with their Packers gear on so they like to see that,” he said.

They’re also fond of server Michelle Ebben, who has worked at the restaurant for eight years and has appeared in previous segments. When the crew of about 10 stopped in unannounced on Thursday morning to get footage, they specially asked about her. She wasn’t working at the time, but Madsen called her and she was able to show up quickly.

They came back over the lunch hour and spent more than an hour filming, Madsen said. 

The national spotlight, along with a big win, had the restaurant buzzing on Monday morning, despite the subzero wind chills. 

“It’s a very positive energy around here today,” he said. “Even though it wasn’t a home game, it still seems busier around here. People are just happier and out and about.”

Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 orkmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com. Follow her on X@KendraMeinert.