Bobby Flowers, a beloved member of the community has passed away due to health complications a few months back. While he may not be here to greet customers with a smile and beautifully arranged flowers, his legacy lives on, and Hoboken will never forget him.
Bobby {aka “Bob”} Flowers came from a long line of florists spanning four generations and 105 years.
Bobby recovered from stage 4A throat cancer in 2017 and considered floristry his greatest passion in life. His floral arrangements were sold from his shop inside Cork, Wine, & Spirits, an uptown Hoboken wine store at 1450 Washington Street. Read on to discover an interview we did with Bobby in February of this year as we discussed his shop and his story.
About Bobby
Bobby had been in the floral business for over 40 years in Hudson County. He supplied Cork, Wine, & Spirits with flowers out of his warehouse in Union City and also owns a wholesale storefront in Paterson {it is uncertain if this location will still operate}. His inventory was selected from the best producers in South America and Miami.
Sadly, four years ago, Bobby was diagnosed with throat cancer and reluctantly had to put floristry on hold. Bobby credits his family for getting him through the tough experience and helping him back on his feet.
“One day, I felt a little better,” he said. “And that’s what I grabbed onto. And little by little, I came back.”
In 2017, he started up the business again and the rest is history. Dedicated to a healthy lifestyle at 58, Bobby now lives in Weehawken and makes the easy commute to the Hoboken storefront almost every day.
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How He Got into Floristry
Bobby learned the art of floristry from his father Robert, who he worked alongside for over 30 years. He said right after dinner, his mother would tell him and his older siblings to go help their dad with the flowers. “It taught us all a great work ethic,” Bobby said. “And all my brothers and sisters translated that into what they do today.”
Similar to Bobby’s trajectory, Bobby’s oldest son was learning to learn the ropes of the floral industry from him in August 2020 so the legacy of Bobby Flowers NYC can live on.
From Garden to Art
^ Bobby’s gorgeous holiday displays!
Bobby always had daily walk-in clients and around 60 to 80 weddings and events per year. During the busy season {typically April to October}, there were up to 15 people who helped Bobby with arrangements, orders, and office work. He also did some seriously amazing holiday arrangements, for when they roll around each year.
He said it was a difficult job, but wouldn’t trade it for the world. Bobby Flowers NYC doesn’t have a huge social media presence, but the florist says most people find out about the shop through word of mouth.
“I love when people call me after events and tell me how much they loved and appreciated our arrangements,” Bobby said. “This job is really about making friends for me. That’s what I love.”
Of course, none of these amazing floral arrangements would be possible without an amazing team that supported him. Bobby especially thanked Mike, Jay, Carlos, and Jaylene at Cork. He loved working with them every day and appreciated the support they had given him over the years.
Bobby and his son had planned to create a website and revamp the whole business to reach more customers. He said his goal was to become the number one florist in the world.
Rest in peace, Bobby <3
