Sacramento flower shop has been crafting bouquets for nearly 80 years. How did it get started?

If you’ve driving through midtown Sacramento, it’s hard to miss Relles Florist.

The flower shop at the corner of J and 24 streets has been crafting floral arrangements for Sacramento residents for nearly 80 years.

Forest green awnings hang from the flat roof of the single-story brick building at 2400 J St. Floor-to-ceiling windows give commuters a glance at the botanical creations that are sold there daily — from bouquets, boutonnieres and leis to gift baskets and potted plants.

“Maybe it’s a cliche,” Relles Florist owner Jim Relles said, but the business specializes in “customer service and providing the best customer service for our customers and the community.”

How did this long-standing Sacramento flower shop get its start?

How did Sacramento flower shop get started?

Ross Relles, the founder of Relles Florist, grew up in Sacramento and attended Sacramento High School.

After serving in World War II, he returned to the capital city and started a business with his wife, Margaret. Relles Florist officially opened at 2220 J St. on Oct. 16, 1946.

The flower shop moved two times as it continued to grow, eventually landing at its current location in 1980.

“The reason he picked that area was because it was near the funeral home,” Jim Relles said of his father, so the shop could supply floral arrangements for funerals and burials.

Business was slow in the beginning for the flower shop, Relles said, but things took a turn for the better when an Italian family placed an order for funeral flowers.

“Everybody liked (the floral arrangement), and his business just took off from then,” Relles said.

Ross Relles ran Relles Florist until he passed away on Jan 15, 1972, at the age of 57. That’s when Jim Relles and his brother Tom Relles took over the business.

Jim Relles took over sole management of Relles Florist in 2008, when his brother retired. He’s now semi-retired himself but still serves as the president of the company.

Jim Relles’ son, Colby Relles, was a part-time employee at the flower shop for a number of years before returning to work there full time in 2021. He’s now the vice president of Relles Florist.

Where does Relles Florist get its flowers from?

The Relles brothers initially sourced flowers from San Francisco’s Flower Market. At one point, roses arrived in Sacramento aboard a Greyhound bus, Jim Relles said.

“The rose growers in those days ... were the kings of the flower growers,” he said. “You had to buy roses year round and throw some away, just to so you can have a standing order and get roses.”

These days, a large part of Relles Florist’s flowers are shipped directly from South America, Relles said.

The shop also purchases California-grown flowers from farms in Oxnard, he said. Those blooms are shipped to San Leandro, then transported by truck to the front door of Relles Florist.

Midtown business saw boom during COVID pandemic

Although many companies experienced a dip in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, Relles Florist saw a boom in business.

“That was probably the busiest times for the flower industry,” Jim Relles said.

During the pandemic, he said, Relles Florist received lots of phone orders from customers sending flowers to loved ones they couldn’t see in person.

The Sacramento shop offered contactless flower delivery, he said, so “it was real safe all the way around.”

“We were just unbelievably busy,” he said, adding that business at Relles Florist continues to be strong.

What are the busiest holidays for bouquets?

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for Relles Florist, Jim Relles said.

He said the second most popular holiday for the flower shop is Mother’s Day, followed by Christmas.

Christmas wreaths, greens, poinsettias, and flower centerpieces are popular orders during the month of December, he said.

What flower do Sacramento residents ask for most?

Roses remain Relles Florist’ most popular flower, Jim Relles said.

The rose is considered a safe bet among customers, especially men, he said.

According to the Relles Florist website, the business crafts floral designs for everything from weddings, anniversary celebrations and funerals to prom and high school graduation.

In addition to bouquets, wreaths and other classic arrangements, Relles Florist sells products including gift baskets, succulents, house plants and wearable flowers such as corsages and flower crowns.

Flower arrangements range in price from $45 to about $190, according to the website.

The shop recently opened up a do-it-yourself wholesale division that allows customers to purchase “bulk flowers at discount prices or wholesale prices,” Relles said. “Consumers who wants to do their own weddings, events or parties,” can take advantage of the new service.

Orders can be placed over the phone, in person or on the Relles website.

The flower shop is open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

What do customers say about midtown florist?

Relles Flores boasts an overall rating of 4.5 stars on popular review site Yelp, with more than 280 reviews total.

“Relles has the most creative and absolutely beautiful floral arrangements ever!” Yelp reviewer Marilyn H. of Lemon Grove wrote. “I have used them for over 25 years and each creation is breath taking!”

Skylar B. of Berkeley said she ordered centerpieces for her wedding from Relles Florist.

“They were stunning!” she wrote on Yelp. “We received lots of compliments on them.”

Marissa F. of San Francisco also used Relles Florist for her wedding flowers.

“Andrew from Relles Florist was a God-send and made all my floral dreams come true for my wedding!” she said.