Virtually every rose that made its way into the hands of lovers on Valentine’s Day likely passed through the New England Flower Exchange in Chelsea, a facility that serves the entire Greater Boston region.
The Exchange relocated to Chelsea last March from Boston’s South End, where it had operated for 50 years. For Chelsea florist Valerie LaCount of Washington Park Florists, the move has significantly improved her business operations, particularly during this week’s Valentine’s Day rush. The new Chelsea location marked the wholesalers’ and their New England customers’ first Valentine’s Day experience at the facility.
A formerly vacant warehouse on Second Street now serves as the hub for Valentine’s Day and every other floral occasion.
The Exchange essentially processes every rose destined for lovers on Valentine’s Day throughout the region.
Last Monday brought intense activity to the facility—the final day for the nine wholesalers to move their inventory to local florists, who then supply customers with flowers, vases, and related items for the holiday.
This represented the Exchange’s inaugural Valentine’s Day in its new Chelsea home, following its March relocation from the South End location near I-93, where it had operated as the Boston Flower Exchange for half a century.
“Valentine’s Day is stressful,” explained Jerry Cupp of Cupp & Cupp Corp., a long-established Exchange wholesaler. “I think that it’s one of the busiest times here at the Flower Exchange. So many things can go wrong. We’ve been going from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. If they had eight days, it would be eight days a week. Today is the big day though.”
Long-time Exchange customers from the South End location, including Valerie LaCount of Washington Park Florist on Eastern Avenue, have found relief in the Chelsea move.
This week proved especially beneficial, as LaCount avoided the typical traffic congestion crossing the Tobin Bridge and traversing downtown Boston to obtain her flowers and supplies.
“I absolutely love it being here now because it’s in Chelsea,” LaCount noted. “I love not having to go over the Bridge. I’m here two or three times a day. It’s so much easier. I came over here today and looked at the traffic backed up on the Tobin and said, ‘Thank God that’s not me anymore.’”
Paula Parziale, an Everett native and long-time general manager of Berkeley Floral Supply, acknowledged that Valentine’s Day presents particular challenges for wholesalers.
“We do call it hell week around here,” she remarked. “It’s actually more clean and organized than it’s ever been. Valentine’s Day is all about roses. There are so many varieties of roses now, you have to get your orders in to the growers early so you don’t get bumped. For us, family and friends know not to call us or text us until Feb. 15 – unless it’s an emergency.”
Operating similarly to the nearby New England Produce Center’s fruit and vegetable dealers, the New England Flower Exchange functions as a wholesaler where the general public cannot purchase directly. Florists with proper credentials can establish accounts, and most area florists conduct their shopping at the new Exchange, which sources flowers primarily from Ecuador, the United States, Colombia, and Holland.
Growers begin cultivating flowers for Exchange wholesalers well before Christmas, meaning the flowers’ journey commences long prior to February.
Many consumers mistakenly believe the flower industry engages in price gouging during Valentine’s Day, LaCount explained. The reality differs: growers must sacrifice two or three crops to supply the volume required for American Valentine’s Day demand. This special circumstance carries a premium cost for wholesalers, she noted.
“People don’t understand the growers have to forgo an entire harvest or two to get the kind of production needed for Valentine’s Day,” LaCount stated. “People think it’s gouging, but it isn’t. The volume is there, but the wholesale costs are so high that you don’t make a lot of money on Valentine’s Day. Normally, I would charge around $60 for a dozen roses, but that goes up to $90 on Valentine’s Day because the wholesale costs are twice as high. Believe me, I’d close the store on Valentine’s Day if I could, but I can’t because I haven’t won the lottery yet.”
Beyond Valentine’s Day, the Exchange’s relocation last year represents the facility’s major story.
“It has been such a smooth transition; it was wonderful,” said Janina Cupp, market manager. “They actually did business in the South End up to closing on Feb. 28, and on March 1 came over here and opened the next day. It’s been really great. It’s been better for some florists than others. Those from the North Shore and Maine love it. Those on the South Shore aren’t so happy, but they’re making the transition. The Tobin Bridge is the issue, but everyone has grown accustomed to it. The last market was worn. This market has a lot more open energy to it. There’s one aisle and you can see everything, plus the new lighting is much better.”
The old South End location sold to the Abbey Group for development into approximately 1.5 million sq. ft. of premium high-rise office space, prompting the Exchange’s build out beginning in mid-December 2016. After 50 years at that location, the development pressure on the increasingly valuable property proved overwhelming.
Nine wholesalers relocated on March 1, 2017, while one remained in the South End and another closed. Several operations, such as Carbone, transferred their businesses while significantly expanding their vase and accessory offerings.
A new vase wholesaler from New York has joined the Exchange.
The significant achievement has been maintaining success while keeping the wholesalers unified.
“It’s worked out a lot better than anticipated,” Jerry Cupp observed. “We anticipated something like a 10 or 15 percent reduction in sales when we moved. It has turned out just the opposite. The way this building is designed is a lot better. It’s more open and you get a great visual of everything. There are coolers and refrigerators. You can get the product from the cooler trailer to the floor and the coolers much quicker. That matters.”
Parziale emphasized that maintaining the wholesalers’ cohesion has been invaluable. The floral business experiences minimal change, and wholesale and retail participants often become like family over time. A real threat of dispersal existed, but the new Exchange prevented that outcome, she explained.
“I don’t think there are too many complaints at all,” Parziale stated. “We’re just really lucky we all got to stay together because it’s very unique to see a Flower Market stay together under one roof. We could have all split up. That would have been sad. Many of us have been working side by side and together for 30 or 40 years…For the customers, it’s important because you walk in and have everything you need all in one place. You only have to get out of your car one time.”
Bob Hall of Kelley Wholesale Florists shared similar concerns about leaving the South End, though his worries proved unfounded.
“We were concerned, extremely worried really, about what would happen if things went the wrong way,” Hall said. “We had a few bumps, but in all, it’s been positive.”
Janina Cupp credited the City of Chelsea’s cooperation throughout the transition and build out. Without such assistance, she noted, the process would have proven considerably more difficult.
City Manager Tom Ambrosino expressed satisfaction with the Exchange’s presence in Chelsea.
“We always try to be accommodating,” Ambrosino stated. “We are certainly happy to have them there. We certainly didn’t want that building to remain vacant.”
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Chelsea florist Valerie LaCount of Washington Park Florists noted that having the New England Flower Exchange in Chelsea has substantially improved her business operations, especially during this Valentine’s Day week. The Exchange moved to Chelsea last March from Boston’s South End following 50 years at that location. The new facility experienced its first Valentine’s Day rush for the wholesalers and their numerous customers throughout New England.
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Chelsea florist Valerie LaCount discusses her order as Chris Birch of Cupp & Cupp Corp. completes a Valentine order.
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At the New England Flower Exchange, Paula Parziale of Berkeley Floral Supply, an Everett native, characterized Valentine’s Day as one week combining chaos and meticulous preparation. The new Exchange celebrated its inaugural Valentine’s Day at its Second Street location. The facility relocated last year from its long-time Boston South End headquarters.
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MaryEllen Crowley of Berkeley Floral Supply wraps a customer order at the New England Flower Exchange on Second Street. Throughout the preceding several days, the Exchange operated continuously seven days weekly to manage the wholesale flower orders for Valentine’s Day.
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Red roses formed walls along virtually every stall at the market on Monday. Local florists throughout New England conducted their final major wholesale buying day.
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Nine wholesalers at the New England Flower Exchange on the Chelsea/Everett line marked their first Valentine’s Day in the new location this week.
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Market manager Janina Cupp noted that the move from Boston’s South End to the Chelsea/Everett line has proven very positive, despite initial reservations from numerous wholesalers.
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Jeff Kim, owner of Elgreen Orchids, indicated that as a specialist, the relocation has challenged his business, though conditions are improving. The new facility better accommodates his vibrant orchids.