The End of the NY Flower District?

Oh, I could cry!

"Eviction notices have just gone out to merchants along 28th Street, marking the final chapter in the long demise of the flower district. "

There are not a lot of flower districts and flower markets left in this country. Like any other kind of merchandise, all the old distribution channels are crumbling. Florists order directly from growers. Customers order directly from wholesalers. Everyone orders online. Who needs a flower district?

I do, damnit. It's a glorious, crazy, crowded, dirty and beautiful place. Guys propping up willow branches against the backs of their vans and spray-painting them gold. Women staggering under the load of five dozen roses wrapped in paper. Endless vases and tools. Paper flowers, plastic flowers, dried flowers. Roses from Ecuador, lilac from Holland, protea from Australia. Whatever you want, it's there on some rusted metal shelf in one of those grimy shops.

The NY Flower District has not found a new location for itself. Is it possible that it will just be scattered, disbanded? I fear so. A wholesaler gets just a few pennies per stem. Hard to make a profit and pay Manhattan rents on that.

via Manhattan User's Guide > Archives > Flower District R.I.P.