Community Rallies To Help Prevent Seattle’s Only Black-Owned Floral Shop From Closing It’s Doors
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Seattle, WA (The Seattle Medium) — Just last week, Mary Wesley, owner of Flowers Just-4-U, found herself in a quagmire. She was two months behind in her rent, and received a 14-day eviction notice from her landlord.
Wesley, who is in her 70s and has been in business for over 35 years, was facing the same fate and dilemma of so many other African American businesses in the Central Area – gentrification and urban development were putting a financial strain on her business.
Flowers Just-4-U, located on the corner of 23rd and Cherry, is the only Black owned floral shop in the region, and after failing to pay her rent Wesley was in jeopardy of having to close the shop.
“When I got behind in my rent, I was unable to pay for November and have been unable to pay for December either,” says Wesley. “And so, the landlord said, ‘I’ve got to have my money’ and I said I just don’t have it.”
Upon hearing the news that one of the few remaining Black-owned businesses in the Central area was in dire straits, a concerned group of people decided to help Ms. Wesley by establishing a GoFundMe page and help to raise funds to assist Flowers Just-4-U in the hopes of keeping the business afloat until business gets better.
The initial goal of the GoFundMe campaign was $10,000.00, and according to a representative from GoFundMe, who reached out to The Seattle Medium, “The community came together and raised more than $18,800 in just two days to prevent [Wesley from having to close her shop], crushing the original goal of $10,000, such an incredible story, especially around the holidays, of a community stepping up for one of their own.”
As of press time, over 500 donors had contributed over $20,000.00 to the fund in just three days.
In 1956, a young Wesley migrated to the Pacific Northwest from Washington, D.C., like so many other African Americans to take advantage of opportunity, and after retiring from Boeing Wesley decided to go into business for herself.
In September of 1984, she opened Flowers Just-4-U on the corner of 23rd and Jackson, where her business flourished for years.
However, according to Wesley, in 2018 the city and developers bought up the corner where her place of business resided and forced her to relocate. Wesley describes how during that time she began to see the cause and effect.
“Business was just bad, no customers,” Wesley explains. “And it really started when the city began digging up the street down there and blocked me off for a year and half, that is where it really happened when I started losing money.”
The corner of 23rd and Jackson has undergone major renovations on both sides of the street. The grocery store that was such a mainstay for a lot of the residents of the area is gone and being replaced by a large multi-level residential/business development.
So, Wesley along with other businesses, located on the land being developed, were forced to move. Fortunately, during her relocation she discovered a nice storefront only blocks away, even a corner lot, but she soon discovered another setback at this location that would hinder her ability to be prosperous.
In her rush to find a new location, Wesley admits that she did not look into the parking availability at her new locale and this oversight made it very difficult for her to land back solidly on her feet.
“When I moved to my new location the parking was atrocious,” said Wesley. “Just atrocious and therefore there’s money lost again, so I kept going backwards and backwards until I got behind in my rent. “
Yet, despite the difficult circumstances, Wesley’s is determined to roll up her sleeves and work through the storm.
While the money from the GoFundMe campaign will help Wesley in the short term, she says that she needs customers and the help of the community in order to stay in business and be a training ground for young people interested in becoming entrepreneurs in the floral industry.
“My plans for the future is to retire one of these days, sooner than I want to, but I will plan on retiring,” says Wesley. “I will keep the shop going as I have trained some of these kids that are interested in the flower business.”
On a daily basis, Wesley can be seen scurrying around her shop, as even through the adversity she is busy. Gentrification has changed the face and landscape of the Central District dramatically. But as stated previously Wesley has plans to stick around.
Talking about the future of Flowers 4 U Wesley offered this in regards to her dilemma, “Just remember Flowers Just-4-U, we need customers, new customers, repeat customers…. and that is what it will take [to keep us in business] is community support.”
For more information regarding the Gofundme campaign please visit: gf.me/v/c/sjp/4v5azw-save-our-flower-shop.
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Chris B. Bennettchrisb@mediumnews.net206-323-3070 ext 109
