Florist supplier faces battle with city, university over its property

A recently embattled business celebrates its owner's 80th birthday.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown Plant & amp; Flower took a rare timeout to celebrate Thursday.
The business has been fighting battle after battle with the city and Youngstown State University to try to stop its West Rayen Avenue property from being taken over for a campus expansion.
It's had little cause to celebrate on that front as the takeover issue continues to linger.
But Thursday was a time to step back from the anxieties created by the proposal. It was the 80th birthday of Hank Belszek, who owns the business with his daughter, Marie LaCivita.
Area florists were dropping by throughout the day to chat with Belzsek, who has been at Youngstown Plant & amp; Flower for almost its entire 60-year history.
Belszek is in the office every day to help out where he can, even though daily operations of the business are handled by his daughter and son-in-law, Bob LaCivita.
"These kids deserve all the credit," he said.
Sales have more than doubled in the 20 years since they began running the business, though they declined to reveal specific amounts.
Supplier for florists
Youngstown Plant & amp; Flower supplies more than 125 florists in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys. It has 15 full- and part-time employees.
The business was started in 1947 by the woman Belszek would marry in 1950, Ethel Veck, and her brothers and sister. They brought Belszek aboard in 1948 as a delivery person.
His wife died in 1981. Belszek ran the business with her family members for years, but they have since passed away.
Much has changed since the early days of the business.
Back then, almost all of the flowers were bought from growers within 100 miles. Those growers long ago went out of business.
Youngstown Plant & amp; Flower responded by linking up with suppliers who have operations around the world. Today, its plants and flowers come from places such as South America, Europe, California and Hawaii.
Competition
Years ago, people who wanted flowers always went to florists. Today, they can find flowers at the grocery store or order them online.
Belszek sums up the strategy the company uses to grow despite this new threat: "Service."
His daughter said that area florists know they can depend on Youngstown Plant & amp; Flower, especially if they need flowers delivered for funerals.
"We will come Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon, maybe twice on Sundays," she said.
Florists also like knowing they can drop by themselves for an emergency order, she said.
While florists have been hurt by sales from other retailers, other parts of the industry have increased, she said. Orders for proms and homecomings have become big business, while theme flowers for graduations and other parties have increased.
Property at risk
The situation involving the city and YSU threatens Youngstown Plant & amp; Flower in a different way. Plans call for redevelopment of the area to create a better connection between the school and downtown and a site for a new business school.
If their property is taken by eminent domain, the father and daughter said they probably won't have the resources to continue the business.
Another family member owns the largest share of the real estate, so they wouldn't receive much from the proceeds of the sale of the land, LaCivita said.
Plus, the business's coolers would be expensive to move, and she hasn't found another site in Youngstown that would be suitable. Moving to the suburbs would create another problem -- higher water bills.
As they wait to hear final plans from the city and YSU, LaCivita said she and her husband aren't losing sight of their primary goal -- continuing to make the business better. Their latest idea is supplying sympathy blankets to funeral homes.
"We're trying to conduct business as usual," LaCivita said.
shilling@vindy.com