Steuber Florist & Greenhouses Celebrates 75th Anniversary

CHICAGO — Steuber Florist & Greenhouses celebrated its 75th anniversary last weekend. The milestone gave owners Scot and Catherine Steuber reason to look back at how the neighborhood business has been able to adapt to change over the past three quarters of a century.

The Steuber family has been at the same location, 2654 W. 111th St. in West Beverly, since Scot Steuber's grandparents bought an existing floral shop at the corner of 111th and Washtenaw in 1943. Owners have now spanned three generations.

"The business started out doing mostly cemetery decorations," Steuber said during an "Open House" celebration of the milestone anniversary this month. "Back then, it was all cemeteries around here and the entire business was cemetery related."

But soon after, the Steuber family would begin growing a spring crop, poinsettias, marigolds and countless other plants as gardening trends evolved through the years.

"Now everyone has container gardens, so we are selling more and more home & garden items," Scott, who grew up living on the premises at the flower shop, said. "We've been able to adapt to the trends of the gardening business."

Catherine Steuber says many of the largest order requests they get nowadays are for weddings and other special events.

And that the place has become a spot for neighborhood residents who hang out, not just a spot to pick up your floral order.

"People stop in after lunch and chat with us," she said. "We like that. Come on in anytime."

The business' newly created Instagram and Facebook pages, created not more than a year ago, Scot says have "helped get the word out" about the gems that are the Steuber greenhouses.

"We just want people to know we are here," he said. "Even if we aren't selling anything to them."

Steuber Florist & Greenhouses is run by a group of 10-12 employees, many of whom have worked there for many years.

"It's a nice group, and we are very grateful for the help we have," Scot said. "We couldn't imagine doing this without the crew we have right now."

It would also be hard to ever imagine Steuber in any spot other than the northeast corner of 111th and Washtenaw.

"We've been here since people would take the street car out here and grab flowers before going to see their loved ones in the cemeteries," Scot said. "We're grateful to be in the spot we are. This has always been a nice South Side community."

Photo by Tim Moran / Patch