Zelek Flower Shop Grand Opening Ad – July 19, 1951

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.

And, here’s a great photo of the store at the time of the Grand Opening, courtesy of longtime blog contributor and good guy Jeremy Reynolds.

Jeremy sent me the photo back in the summer of 2016. At the time he noted, "Found this cool picture at work announcing Zelek Flower Shop grand opening in 1951 at their original location at 12th and Reid. I’m not sure of the exact date. It might make for a cool post if the newspaper announcement/ad can be found.”

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.