Agawam, MA Florists

Agawam Flower Shop News

Flower Barrels from Fini's Plant Farm brighten up sidewalks - Reminder Publications

Just recently, Pat said, ‘I would really like to see a return to doing flower barrels in town,’” Pasquerella said.The West Springfield Garden Club was inspired by similar barrels found in the town of Agawam. “They have these beautiful flower barrels all around Agawam. We contacted Al Fini to see how it works. We now have gotten him to do the program and he grows [the flowers] and provides the outer barrel and places them all around. He said he would be more than willing to do what he does for Agawam for West Springfield,” Pasquerella shared.Pasquerella said she feels that the flower barrels will improve the town of West Springfield. “I think it’s a quality of life thing. There’s something about flowers. There’s a reason why Home Depot or even your local grocery store sells flowers, because it does something for you. It lifts up your heart. It provides a moment of beauty when you drive by or you’re in a store. Psychologically, it improves your mood,” Pasquerella said.Pasquerella shared that the West Springfield Garden Club is already looking to the future of the flower barrel project. “Next year, we’d really like to do 100,” Pasquerella said.The West Springfield Garden Club is currently accepting sponsorships on each of the barrels. Each sponsorship costs $120 and includes the barrel, soil, watering from June 10 to Sept.15, and a 4 by 10-inch all-weather sign inserted in the barrel to display the name of the sponsor. Sponsorships can be purchased by a donor, company, group or in honor of a loved one.Signs will be collected in mid-September and kept by the West Springfield Garden Club for use in future years. If a sponsor chooses to participate in a future year, the same sign will be used and the sponsorship will only cost $100.At the time of publication, 35 of the 50 barrels had been sponsored. To sponsor a barrel, contact Kate Parrow at kfparrow@comcast.net. https://www.thereminder.com/localnews/west-springfield/flower-barrels-from-finis-plant-farm-brighten-up-s/

Sang, Cuffe rule Bridge of Flowers

Benjamin Groleau finished third overall in 25:37, as he was in the lead pack for much of the first half of the race before Sang and Leibold separated themselves. Two-time champion Glarius Rop of Agawam was fourth in 26:03, followed in fifth place by Teague O’Connor of Burlington, Vt. (26:10). Shelburne Falls’ Dan Smith was the top local runner across the Iron Bridge, finishing ninth in 27:21.Cuffe and Leibold moved to Massachusetts just two weeks ago, as Leibold began medical school at UMass in Worcester last week. Cuffe said the pair was looking for something to do over the weekend, and discovered the event. Leibold said it was a nice escape from a chaotic first week of school.“We’re kind of aficionados of old races so when we saw this one, it was a no-brainer,” Cuffe explained.While she mostly competes in shorter races, Cuffe, who was 22nd overall in the field, felt right at home on the 8K course. She said she raced against Rees in a 5K last year, and knew the Bridge of Flowers defending champion was the one to watch when the opening gun went off.“I figured she knew what she was doing,” Cuffe said of keeping Rees in her sights.Semehar Tesfaye of West Roxbury, the 2016 champion, finished third in the women’s race with a time of 30:18. Karen Bertasso of Albany, N.Y. was fourth in 30:31, and Mohawk Trail star and Plainfield resident Meghan Davis was the fifth-fastest woman across the tape in 30:55.The weather cooperated for the 3K Charity Race and 8K Classic, as rain held off and the overcast morning made for comfortable, mid-August temperatures. The traditional charm of the race was evident throughout the course, with bagpipers, drummers and fans lining the streets and trails of Shelburne Falls to the delight of the over 800 runners combined between the two fields.“I love the history of Massachusetts races,” explained Leibold. “Old, long-standing races like this one, the community can get behind it and come out and support every year no matter who is running. That’s the great thing about it, it’s really an event that gets people coming back every year.”Locals ruled the Steve Lewis Subaru Charity 3K Run and Walk, with Buckland’s Bryan Dole finishing first overall in 10:24. Jacob Hughes of Shelburne Falls was the runner-up in 10:31, while Toby Hughes was fifth overall in 11:40. Amherst’s Cortney Berling was the first woman across, as she was third overall in 10:54. Leyden’s Kate Ashley was next in fourth place as the second woman across in 11:34.In the 8K Classic, Greenfield’s Aaron Stone was the top area finisher behind Smith as he crossed 31st overall in 30:10. Shelburne’s John Herron finished 36th (30:33), with Davis’ showing making her the top area woman and fourth-fastest Franklin County finisher overall. Shelburne Falls’ Jeremiah Jones was 40th in 31:01, and Shutesbury’s Andy Reagan joined him in the top 50 thanks to a 49th place performance in 32:09. https://www.recorder.com/Bridge-of-Flowers-19415790

Deep field set for Bridge of Flowers 40th anniversary

New England.Last season, John Busque, of Manchester, Connecticut, showed up on the morning of the event, registered and won.Busque tracked down defending champion Glarius Rop, of Agawam, on the stretch of course that no longer exists. He passed Rop and beat the two-time champion by 43 seconds.Those two men are back this season and both will be among the favorites to win the race. The third-place finisher from a year ago, Scott Mindel, of Burlington, Vermont, also returns.Rop is a member of the Western Mass. Distance Project, and will have four teammates joining him. One of those is Amos Sang, of Chicopee, who won the 2014 Bridge of Flowers. Sang won the New England 5-mile championship this season with a time of 24:36.Northampton’s Ben Groleau, another Western Mass. Distance Project runner, is the UMass record-holder in the mile with a time of 4:01. Groleau was fourth at the New England 5-mile championships in 25:27. Dennis Roche, of Springfield, another WMDP runner, finished fifth last year at the Bridge of Flowers.The women’s field will be just as deep. Last year’s champion, Holly Rees, of Cambridge, is returning. Rees ran an average of just under 6 minutes a mile in winning the women’s crown in 37:05.Rees will be challenged by Semehar Tesfaye, of West Roxbury. Tesfaye won the Bridge of Flowers in 2016 in 39:03.Another major challenger is newcomer Aisling Cuffee, who graduated from Stanford but now lives in North Grafton and runs for Saucony under coach Ray Treacy. Cuffee has a 15:11 personal record in a 5K.The third, fourth and fifth-place finishers from a year ago also return in the women’s field. Apryl Sabadosa, of Westfield, took third. Karen Bertasso, of Albany, New York, is a two-time Bridge of Flowers winner. She was fourth last year. The fifth-place finisher from a year ago was Jenna Giglioti, of Northampton, who joins Sabadosa as two of the top female runners in the We... https://www.gazettenet.com/Bridge-of-Flowers-19387803

Yuletide celebration coming to Storrowton Village Museum - MassLive.com

Thelma Greene of Chicopee will oversee the festive decorating project. Participating clubs and florists who deck out the village through their generosity and inspired ideas include: the Agawam, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Springfield and West Springfield Garden Clubs; Garden Club of the Westfield Woman's Club; Deena Rollet of Merry Mite Gardens in Suffield, Conn.; Anthony Gladu of West Springfield's Rose Petal & Thorn; Flowers by Webster; and the Eastern States Exposition Landscape Department.  "Many of these people have been decorating our village for years and are really familiar with its history and surroundings, so they know what they're doing when it comes to sprucing up the village for an old-fashioned holiday. I think what keeps them coming back is the fact that it gives them a chance to step outside what they do every day and to decorate for the past. They go out and gather natural things.....dried things.....that they wouldn't necessarily use all year long," Green said. "Visitors will see natural flowers and plants, and the natural decorations are usually very colorful and relaxing to see. Some folks will be creating garlands to go over the mantles and fireplaces in the village. We have one florist from Connecticut who will be doing a big Christmas tree in the Gilbert Parlor that will be decorated only with dried and other natural products. There are no electrical lights allowed in keeping with the period," she added. Greene noted that many visitors each year attend the event to see how they can incorporate natural materials into their home decorating and take those ideas back with them. It's Jessica Fontaine's first Yuletide at Storrowton as new director of the museum. "I'm very excited about this year's event. We have a lot of things that people have grown to love and expect over the years, as we... http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/11/yuletide_celebration_coming_to.html

Snow's impact on Valentine's Day sales at florists and bakeries - wwlp.com

If customers aren’t home, the flowers are brought to a close neighbor’s or back to the shop.Others show their love through sweet treats, like cupcakes and cannolis at Giovanni’s Italian Pastries in Agawam. “Flowers die, but this, it’s nice you know, you get something out of it!” said Patsy DePergola of Agawam. He was picking out cannolis and carrot cake with his wife to enjoy at home later on Valentine’s Day.Manager Teresa Russo said the snow did impact business a bit over the weekend, with more people staying inside than enjoying an early Valentine’s Day treat. But, she said business was steady on the holiday. She said most of their business was day-of, rather than pre-orders: “You don’t really always know what to prepare for, but the chocolate covered strawberries are very popular, so we always make sure to order plenty of strawberries to be dipped in chocolate.”WWLP.com > Share this:Like this:LikeLoading...Related PostsAdvertisement... http://wwlp.com/2017/02/14/florist-busy-for-valentines-day/

Fitchburg’s Cauley’s Florist and Garden Center is partnering with Operation Service to provide free trees to vets - Sentinel & Enterprise

Spot, and with the addition of Cauley’s we hope to take some pressure of the Leominster location,” Firmani said.Firmani said they provided an additional 100 trees last year with the support of the Massachusetts VFW Foundation and the Boston Bruins Foundation.“We delivered those trees to Fort Devens for families that could not make it out this way,” he said.Firmani said the pandemic was part of the inspiration behind adding another Trees for Soldiers location.“With COVID-19 affecting all of our day to day decisions the timing to reach out and add a new site seemed right,” he said. “We wanted provide people with another option to promote social distancing and still continue the growth of the program.”Firmani said Cauley’s is an ideal location because it already has the infrastructure in place to handle the additional trees inventory and it has a similar set up to The Gardner’s Spot.“Not only can U.S. service men and women go and get their tree at no charge as a thank you from Operation Service and their community for their service and sacrifice, but they can also shop for flowers, wreaths, garland, all in one place,” he said.Cauley’s does have ties to the military. Bob Cauley opened the first greenhouse in 1966 on Lancaster Street in Leominster after he retired from the Army. He was stationed at Fort Devens. His son Bill Cauley purchased the business from his parents and built the current location in the early 1990s. Landry, Bill’s nephew and Bob’s grandson, has worked there since 2001. Francine Bergeron is the florist manager.Landry said they enjoy interacting with community members and various groups and organizations at the garden center.“Whether it’s people shopping  for their home gardens, churches decorating for the holidays, schools doing fundraisers or the Friends of the Leominster Library doing their annual poinsettia sale, we are here to help in whatever ways we can,” Landry said. “That said, an annual event like Trees for Soldiers simply doesn’t happen without somebody like Joe and the folks at Operation Service doing the hard work and having a big idea. When somebody like Joe tells you that this program can become even bigger and better, and that he thinks you can help, it’s an absolute no-brainer – you want to get involved.”Landry said Cauley’s has remained busy throughout the pandemic, beginning in the spring with people “stuck at home” looking to start their first vegetable garden, decorate their new home office with plants, clean up their landscaping, “or simply just adding some colorful flowers to have a nicer staycation.”“Those trends have continued through the year and now that the holidays are here we are doing everything we can to provide our customers the seasonal products they come to us for, and help them have as happy and normal a holiday season as they can,” Landry said.Christmas trees arrived at both Cauley’s and The Gardner’s spot last week. Veterans and military mem... https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2020/12/02/fitchburgs-cauleys-florist-and-garden-center-is-partnering-with-operation-service-to-provide-free-trees-to-vets/

ROUNDUP: JP Parker Flowers vacates Indy store, adds retail truck - Indianapolis Business Journal

Parker said. “It’s a very fun, trendy thing to do right now.”In other news this week:— Fast-casual seafood chain Slapfish opens Monday at 345 Massachusetts Ave. The restaurant takes the space formerly occupied by Louie’s Wine Dive, which closed in March.Franchisees are long-time friends Mark Weghorst and Nick Smith. Weghorst opened the area’s first Slapfish location in July 2019, inside the Broccoli Bill’s grocery store that his father, Bill Weghorst, owns in Noblesville.California-based Slapfish offers a mostly seafood-focused menu, with an emphasis on sustainably sourced fish. Menu items include fish tacos, burritos, grilled fish bowls and other items, including a children’s menu. The chain is based in the Los Angeles suburb of Fountain Valley and has about 20 locations in several U.S. states, plus England.— Fast-casual Indian restaurant Tandoor & Tikka has opened its third Indianapolis store, and its fourth overall, at 5650 W. 86th St. The restaurant’s grand opening was June 26.It opened in Indianapolis in June 2018 at 805 W. 10th St. near IUPUI, followed by a Castleton location in 2019. Tandoor & Tikka also has a location in Bloomington.— The culinary establishment Studio C, 1051 E. 54th St., has discontinued its coffee service though it is continuing with its other lines of business. Local chef Greg Hardesty opened Studio C in 2019 as a place for a variety of food-oriented offerings based on market demand. The business’ offerings include carry-out meals, private dining and a wine club.— Peppy Grill opened June 19 at 910 W. 10th St. in The Avenue, a mixed-use development near the IUPUI campus. The restaurant is in the spot formerly occupied by Madd Greeks Mediterranean Grille, which closed in March after 3-1/2 years.The new Peppy Grill is associated with the Peppy Grill at 1004 Virginia Ave. in Fountain Square—it is not affiliated with Burt’s Peppy Grill at 3401 E. 10th St.— The Fudge Kettle plans to open its first brick-and-mortar retail space... https://www.ibj.com/blogs/property-lines/roundup-jp-parker-flowers-vacates-indy-store-adds-retail-truck

Massachusetts relaxes rules on florists, car dealers, other businesses - SouthCoastToday.com

Massachusetts relaxes rules on florists, car dealers, other businesses  SouthCoastToday.comCoronavirus restrictions on Massachusetts florists, retail ease ahead of Mother's Day  Boston HeraldFlowers for Mom: Baker loosens retail restrictions prior to May 18  Boston Business JournalFlorists allowed to fulfill orders ahead of Mother’s Day in Massachusetts — with some restrictions  MassLive.comBaker Eases Tight Restrictions on Floral Shops, Garden Businesses Ahead of Mother’s Day  nbcboston.comView Full Coverage on Google News... https://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20200505/massachusetts-relaxes-rules-on-florists-car-dealers-other-businesses

On Mother’s Day, Mass. Florists Struggle to Meet Demand - nbcboston.com

Florists in Massachusetts struggled to meet the demand for flowers this weekend as families observed Mother's Day, Sunday. Many florists stopped taking orders for Mother’s Day after selling out. Central Square Florist in Cambridge was one of the few still taking orders and delivering.Herbert Berg Florist in Worcester said demand was too high because they are short staffed and have a limited supply. "When we all closed up the beginning of March and April, nobody was buying flowers so the suppliers had nowhere to sell them to," said Sally Jablonski, owner of Herbert Berg Florist. "They were just dumping all the flowers."Gov. Charlie Baker allowed florists and some other non-essential businesses to open — on a remote basis — in time for Mother’s Day, but some business owners said it wasn’t enough time to prepare.Some businesses, however, got creative to make the day special. Monument Restaurant in Charlestown partnered with a local florist, Junebug, to create dozens of pre-ordered breakfas... https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/businesses-adjust-to-mothers-day-during-pandemic/2121803/