Florist traces roots back to 1948

Seasonal flowers are becoming a thing of the past as florists can now purchase from various climates around the world.  Tulips, for example, can be offered any time of the year.
When Jimmy Kusuda opened Jimmy’s Flower Shop in Ogden in 1948, there were only a few flower choices. Now, when you walk into the shop’s main cooler, you will find 40 to 50 different flowers on a given day, with 12 to 15 different rose colors, compared to just red, pink, white and yellow ones grown when Kusuda first opened.     
When Kusuda retired 25 years ago, his son, Mike Kusuda, now 54, took over the shop and Mike now runs the business with his son, Brian, 26. Some of the store’s top sellers are lilies and Gerber daisies, flowers that were unheard of when his father opened the business. Roses are still the top-selling flowers, but now there are countless varieties available.
“Flowers have evolved so much because of technology and shipping, creating a much wider variety available to the consumer,” Mike said.
The shop has grown and expanded over the years, with an additional shop opened  in Layton in 1997. Most of the products are now purchased from farms in California and South America, which means fresher flowers and better prices.
Jimmy’s Flower Shop buys flowers from distributors all over the world, including Ecuador, Costa Rica, Holland and Italy.
There are very few domestic growers of roses these days, so most of the roses come from Ecuador, known for its ability to produce the largest roses. Most florists purchase their roses from Ecuador, according to Kusuda. 
 Working with his dad in the business his grandfather founded is something Brian Kusuda enjoys, especially when he gets to deliver the flowers. 
“I love to see the reaction on people’s faces, since they are usually always happy,” Brian said.
Being in a business that makes people happy is exactly why Susan Ritchie, 57, a flower arranger, has been with the shop for 17 years. “I like knowing that something I did today made somebody’s day better,” Ritchie said. “I get to go home and feel like I did something good.”
As an occasion-driven business, the shop thrives on holidays. December is the busiest month, followed by Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, though flowers sent for sympathy is the top occasion.
“Everything we send is a personal gift that brightens someone’s day,” Mike said.
And that about sums up why he has been in the business for so long and plans to stay as long as possible.