Jessie Latt, owner of Parkview Nursery and The Boston Fern in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Two independent retailers will be packing their suitcases and traveling to Paris on Midwest-CBK and Colonial Candle as winners in the companies’ first “Passport to Success” sweepstakes. Randomly selected from thousands of entries, winners include Koula Louras, owner of Rand & Euclid Shell/Express Gifts in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, and Jessie Latt, owner of Parkview Nursery and The Boston Fern in Aberdeen, South Dakota. As prize winners, Louras and Latt were presented with the opportunity to choose from a trip for two to Paris or the Bahamas. Both Louras and Latt selected Paris, and each will be traveling in September 2012 with their husbands.

Latt has owned and operated Parkview Nursery, a garden center and nursery, for 15 years, which has been family owned since 1965. She also owns The Boston Fern floral shop. Parkview Nursery has been carrying Midwest-CBK and Colonial Candle lines for 20 years and Latt said she returns every year thanks to the “unique product selection and great customer service.”

“It’s been a dream of mine to go to Paris since I was a child – I’m thrilled to go,” said Latt. “We’re planning to see the Eiffel Tower, visit the Louvre and several other museums. Monet is my favorite artist so I’m looking forward to seeing many of his paintings in person. I plan to enjoy some really great French cuisine.  My husband and I look forward to a fabulous dinner at famous Le Grand Colbert restaurant! Thank you to everyone at Midwest-CBK for the trip of a lifetime!”

Each prize includes round-trip air transportation for the winner and one guest to Paris, four nights double occupancy hotel accommodation and transfers for an approximate retail value of $5,000 for each prize package. Winners were selected in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received during the winter 2012 markets.