Long-time owners of Boothbay Region Greenhouses, Bob and Kitty Boyd, are planning on retiring. The business and property have been on the market but contrary to the rumors, it has not yet been sold. The garden center is gearing up for the always busy planting season and the flower shop is actively booking weddings, so for this summer it’s still business as usual.

March 29, 2022 marks 40 years since Bob and Kitty bought Boothbay Region Greenhouses, but the story doesn’t begin there. The Latter family opened Latter’s Seaside Greenhouse at the same 35 Howard Street location in 1929, and later sold the business to the Williams family. Some local residents still have fond memories of the Websters as long-term owners (25 years). The Boyds became the business’s fifth owners when they purchased Boothbay Region Greenhouses from the Orne family in 1982. All told, those five “greenhouse” families have served the community for almost 100 years.

Several greenhouses and other small buildings were updated or added to the property by the Websters and Ornes as the business grew with the population. Some members of the Orne family even lived in a cottage out back in the early 1970s. Maine winters took their toll as well, leading to the collapse of the large Quonset greenhouse during the blizzard of 1978. The Florist Shop sales room you see today was added in 1972, and the most recent addition, the gazebo, was added by the Boyds in 2003. The Boyds initially lived in the house on site as had previous owners, converting it to offices, consultation space, and a tuxedo fitting room when they moved to the West Street home built years earlier by Bob’s great-grandfather.

To them it is more than just a business. Flowers are symbols of hope that help form bonds and honor that respect which we owe to each other. The flowers, plants, and the people who’ve cultivated them have borne witness to every graduation and Grand March, brought comfort to the funerals and joys to the holidays and weddings, marking and celebrating the time-honored traditions that make this community unique.

“It’s been our hope that we’d be able to sell the business to another individual or family who would continue this impressive legacy,” Bob explained, “but unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet. We are still open for business though, and we hope that our customers will remain loyal.” He notes that the listing price is now based on the value of the real estate parcel and not the business, and since its zoning is both commercial and residential, there are many possibilities as to what it may become.

“It’s been a great run, but it’s just time to move on and enjoy life” says Kitty. “We’d really like to thank our customers for continuing to support local businesses like ours. They’ve enabled us to live and work and raise our family in the place we love.” The Boyds have returned that generosity to the community by supporting countless non-profit and public events over the years.

The Boyds aren’t the only ones who’ve been hoping for a buyer interested in keeping the business going, fortunate to have a staff as loyal as their customers. Many of the staff have indicated a desire to stay on, ensuring a smooth transition for a new owner. One of their concerns is that if the next owner of the property decides to put it to another use that means a loss of six year-round jobs in the flower shop and eight to ten seasonal positions in the garden center.

Shop Manager Susan Hodder puts it this way “So many businesses here have trouble finding or keeping skilled staff, but we have the opposite problem: our team of skilled employees who enjoy what they do and who they do it with are afraid they’ll be out of a job.” Unfortunately none of the employees are in a position to buy the business, but a committed group has begun looking into alternatives like transitioning to an employee-owned business or a community cooperative structure where customers become members. The primary issue preventing them from moving forward is funding.

“So many of our customers have been telling us they don’t want the business to close. If we could find an investor or group of backers interested in having a positive impact, we could continue to provide florist and garden services to the community, even if it winds up in another location nearby.” Hodder stated.

Both the Flower Shop and the Garden Center are looking for additional staff to help during Mother’s Day and the busy summer season. Job seekers are encouraged to stop by the flower shop to pick up an application. Bob would also like to remind customers who have BRGH Gift Cards to be sure to come and use them this summer.