A Gloucester institution has new owners. Jean Smith, owner of Smith’s Florist and Gift Shop on Main Street for over five decades, announced recently that she has sold the business to a Florida couple.

Smith, of Schley, opened the business with her late husband, Kenneth, on May 1, 1964. “I’ve always been crazy about flowers,” she said. “I even started growing flowers at home when I was 12 years old.” By age 14, she was selling plants she had grown from seed.

Mr. Smith had an accounting business on the side and helped her learn all the ropes in tending to the accounting end of the floral business. “I couldn’t have done it without him,” she said. “Don’t ever go into business without knowing about bookkeeping.”

Smith, 86, said her real passion was putting her colorful arrangements together for her customers. 

About the time her husband passed away in 2010, Smith stopped coming into the shop regularly, turning over most of the day-to-day operations to daughters, Connie Field of Gloucester and Karen Soles of Ware Neck. The siblings have been working in the shop since they were fresh out of high school in 1975.

Smith said her children had so many other things going on in their lives that they declined her offer to take over the business. Smith has still been handling the financial end of things remotely. “She’s been commanding from home,” Soles said.

The family contacted a broker and it has taken a couple of years to find the right fit. She said that fit was made when they found Michael and Emilie Richardson of Cooper City, Florida. However, both Field and Soles say they don’t plan on going anywhere and will work alongside the new owners for the foreseeable future.

As for any changes to the business, none are on the horizon, Soles said. “We plan to keep things as normal as possible.”

Smith said she will truly miss her customers, which have brought her so much enjoyment over the years. “We really have had wonderful customers and I will miss them,” she said. “I’ve made a lot of friends who are now like family.”

“I’m sure all of us will miss it,” Smith added. “There’s a time when things have to come to an end and I think our time has come. I couldn’t do it anymore and the girls at this stage in their life wanted some more freedom.”

For Smith, she looks forward to have more time at home to do the things she really enjoys doing, such as working on puzzles and sewing.

“This has just been home to us,” Field said. “It’s been such a pleasure being part of this community. We’ve gotten to know a lot of wonderful people in the area.”

“We’re honored to be a part of what Mom started 54 years ago,” Soles added. “She’s taught us many things—not just flower arranging.”