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MANCUSO’S STILL GROWING

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Feb 13, 2010

Mancuso's Florist Featured on WXYZ 7

Feb 12, 2010

Mancuso's Florist Featured on FOX 2

Feb 11, 2009

Mancuso's Epic Roses

Dec 1, 2008

Christmas Commerical

Jan 3, 2007 -

Second location opens
after 83 years of successful
family business

By Julie Stevens
C & G Staff Writer

ST. CLAIR SHORES — Those regular customers of Mancuso’s Florist, Inc. residing in St. Clair Shores have something to celebrate.

The popular family-owned flower and gift shop at last has opened the doors of their second location inside city limits on Dec. 1.

Owned and operated by Frank Mancuso III — the 28-year-old grandson of original proprietor Frank Mancuso, the man who opened the Detroit location and greenhouse in 1923 — Mancuso’s Florist, Inc. is located on Harper between Eight Mile and Nine Mile roads.

The opening, Mancuso said, was long awaited by the entire family, but was held off for many years until he took a drive on Harper in early 2006.

“I was driving by one day and saw the ‘for sale’ sign here,” said the lifelong St. Clair Shores resident, who was previously running Mancuso’s in Detroit with his father, Frank II. “It was perfect because we had been wanting to accommodate customers who were moving out of Detroit.”

The current location will allow local residents easy access to stop in and shop or order flower arrangements of all sizes and for every occasion and holiday.
“I’ve gotten a lot of people coming in to tell me that they are so glad we opened here,” Mancuso said. “It’s a lot easier for them to just come here than (go) all the way to Detroit.”

His grandfather, Frank Mancuso, a resident of St. Clair Shores, worked at Harper Greenhouses on Harper and Whittier, a small wholesale shop that only specialized in potting soil and green plants. The senior Mancuso worked at the shop for many years until the owner retired. He then purchased the business, expanded the site to 10,000 square feet, changed the name to Mancuso’s Florist and Gift Shop, and sold wholesale as well as retail.

Business ultimately flourished, as did the flower trade in general, and in 1962, Mancuso’s Florist, Inc. became retail only.

Frank Mancuso and his brother Joe Mancuso operated Mancuso’s until 1980, when Frank passed away. Joe passed a year later.

The business has been under ownership of Frank II since 1980, in partnership with his sister Betty Hang, who is also a floral designer.

Not much has changed over the years, and Mancuso’s still caters to generations of families, Frank II said.

“We get new customers who have chosen us because we did a wedding or a funeral for their parents or grandparents,” said Frank II, who still works at the Detroit location. “Everyone has a story.”

Frank III has heard many of those stories, many in weeks following opening day.

“There were some people who came in recently for wedding arrangements and said they had wanted to hire us for a long time because we had done an event for a family member,” he said.

Frank II added that it’s his son’s technological prowess that has helped business skyrocket since the late 1990s.

“Before I came, there were no computers; everything was done on paper,” Frank III said with a laugh. Frank III, who started working for his family at 14, took over in 1999. “I did everything then,” he said. “From cleanup to delivery to design; I worked in every aspect for the last 15 years.”

In the meantime, the Mancuso family is relishing in the fact that they have been able to expand upon Frank Mancuso’s dream.

“A lot of people are very happy that we’re out (in St. Clair Shores) now,” said Frank II, adding that a third location is a possibility, but for now the family is concentrating on the present. “It’s convenient for everyone.”

Fore more information or to place an order, go to www.mancusos. com or call (800) MANCUSO.