ITEM PHOTO BY SPENSER HASAK
Co-owners David Daley, left, and Keith Saunders hold up a cake to celebrate their business turning 70.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — Welch Florist is celebrating its platinum anniversary in the city.
Tom and Margaret Welch started the floral business 70 years ago on Union Street, across from St. Joseph’s Church in downtown Lynn. Three decades later they moved to Essex Street to take advantage of a retail space with a corner location and plenty of parking.
The business changed hands a few times, and in 1987, it was sold to David Daley and Keith Saunders, who had dreams of building on the success of an established shop and sought a business in the city of Lynn. Daley, then 26, worked as a floral designer and Saunders, then 28, was a manager at a supermarket.
“The Welch family had a great reputation and each sibling owned and operated their own businesses. When we saw this business for sale we were very interested,” Saunders said. “Dave’s father worked in Lynn his whole life and he spent many days with his mother and grandmother as a child shopping in Lynn.”
Today the flower shop has a good relationship with local funeral homes, nursing homes, event venues and schools, he said. Welch Florist participates in annual fundraisers for the Lynn Public Schools, including donating 15 percent of sales at high school graduations back to the graduating class. Saunders and Daley consider the shop to be a part of the fabric of the Lynn community.
The couple, together for 35 years and married for six, considered giving it all up in the early 2000s. In 2005, they sold the business and their Emerald Drive home and made the move to Naples, Fla., in search of a change. By 2007, they knew they had made a mistake and purchased the shop back.
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“We made a mistake and we missed it terribly,” said Daley. “We missed Lynn so much. We chose to reinvest in Essex Street.”
The partners have created flower arrangements to celebrate the birth of a newborn, then again for that child’s prom, and sometimes even for his or her wedding, he said.
Since 1987, the businesses has changed with the times, said Saunders. More people are using the store’s website to place orders than ever before and social media helps give their popularity a boost. But he credits the consistency of good products to their 70 years of success.
“Having the highest quality flowers, excellent customer service and being hands-on owners to ensure consistency sets us above our competitors,” he said.
While it’s a challenge for many small businesses to succeed in a world full of Walmarts and other big box stores, Daley and Saunders are optimistic about their continued success.
“People today want higher end flowers, more unique designs and are willing to pay for that service,” Saunders said.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte
