Lorain is lucky to have so many family businesses that have been around for decades.
It isn’t easy to sustain an independent store. You have to deliver quality products and services at a reasonable price consistently over the years, and build up a loyal customer base that wouldn’t dream of taking its business anywhere else.
One of those longtime successful businesses is Zelek Flower Shop at 1001 Reid Avenue.
Here’s an ad showing the company at its very beginning, when it was at its original location at 12th and Reid. The three-quarter-page ad ran on the eve of the store opening in the Lorain Journal on July 19, 1951 – 70 years ago today.
Well, it only took five years, but I found it – and it’s nice to finally be able to feature the photo here on the blog. Thanks, Jeremy!
And congratulations to Zelek Flower Shop for seventy years in business!
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I wrote about the distinctive building at 12th and Reid before in this 2012 post.
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And by the way, I’ve taken antique ceramic planters to Zelek Flower Shop a few times over the years (as recently as last summer) to have decorative flower arrangements put in them, and the Zelek designers always do a terrific, creative job.
3 comments:
My Dad delivered flowers for them for a couple years as a "retirement job". Good people and congrats on 70 years. They must doing something right!
Well, Dan, you have posted about another relative of mine, albeit an in-law once removed! My cousin, Betsy Zelek, née Bobel, is married to Tim Zelek, son / grandson of the floral Zeleks.
By the way, cousin Betsy's dad, John Bobel, for many years owned Lorain County Stationers, later known as Bobel's Business Products, on Broadway, first in a storefront near 7th Street and later in a larger store, the former J.C. Penney's location. John was an ardent booster of downtown Lorain businesses, not just his own.
You could do a Bobel's blog! Just sayin'.
Zelek's Facebook page has a nice post today about their 70th anniversary.
Theresa
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