When Thomas Kegan opened the first Blossom Flower Shop, where Fordham Road and Webster Avenue intersect in the Bronx, he put his golden rule of prosperity into play: always choose a corner spot for maximum visibility. Kegan quickly proved ambitious and forward-thinking, and his idea grew into two florist locations in Yonkers and White Plains. His son, also named Thomas, led the business through a second generation of success, then turned it over to his son Kevin. He and his wife Sue continued to build on the rock-solid foundation, expanding their network of growers to include more of the U.S., Europe, and South America, so they could diversify their floral inventory Along the way they took on a young floral designer named Sandra Brennan and ended up teaching her every aspect of the business. She and her husband Brian are now the fourth stewards of the mini empire and continuing its legacy of success.
Walking into the Yonkers location of Blossom Flower Shops, which sits on the corner of McClean and Sterling Avenues, you immediately encounter a slew of popular blooms, such as lush roses and cheerful tulips. And then, there are plenty of exotics, like cymbidium orchids and birds of paradise. Sourced both locally and internationally, Brennan credits the shop’s longevity to their beyond-the-basics inventory. “We always have staple household flowers,” she says. But they also make a point of trying different things and keeping up with internet trends. Social media often lures in new customers, who want what they see online, like unique flowers that match Pantone’s Color Of The Year or indoor plants alleged to improve mental health. The Brennans do their best to give these curious patrons what they want. “We’re able to see what works and what doesn’t,” Brennan points out.
Being a local go-to for over a century means racking up a significant number of regulars, and a few decades later, serving their children and grandchildren. Brennan and her staff have done flowers for weddings, then new moms, and then that baby comes to talk about her wedding. Brennan hears this kind of story all the time, most recently when a 70-year-old customer shared that Blossom has provided flowers for her grandparents’ funerals, parents’ funerals, and all the family’s showers. “I’ve had customers clean out their houses and bring us receipts from the 50s,” she laughs.
I’ve had customers clean out their houses and bring us receipts from the 50s.
—SANDRA BRENNAN
A lot of meticulous work goes into arranging a beautiful bouquet, and a quick glance through the store’s offerings shows that the Blossom Flower Shops team has mastered that art. But in the end, Brennan thinks the biggest secret of Blossom’s decades of success is being the corner shop everyone can count on. Anyone in the neighborhood can turn to the Brennans, for both happy and sad occasions. “We have a small staff, so we’re always here,” she says. “We don’t let anything go out the door that we wouldn’t buy ourselves. For you to like it, we must love it.”
Related: NewYork-Presbyterian Receives $20 Million for Health Centers