Longtime Barrington Florist Up For Sale

One of Barrington’s best-known and oldest family businesses is up for sale. 

Phil Judge Florist, at 39 Primrose Hill Road, has been in business in Barrington since 1949. The Judge family has always owned it. A Century 21 real estate sign sits in front of the store now. 

Helen Judge has been running the shop with help from her sister, June (Judge) Ververis, since 2001. See the Patch story on the shop.

Helen told Patch that “I’ve been here all my life. I learned to be a florist from my parents, and I guess I’ve always been happy in this business.” 

But she recently told the Barrington Times that “I’m ready to do this. I’m ready to retire.”

“Business has slowed down quite a bit the last three or four years,” she said.“People are just buying less flowers.”

Her parents, Philip and Dorothy, bought the property in 1949 and moved to Barrington from Cranston. They built 10 greenhouses for Peck Estate Greenhouses, which sold annuals and vegetable plants. The florist shop, Phil Judge Florist, was built in 1965 on the foundation of one of the greenhouses.

Helen would like the shop to stay as a florist. But there have not been many potential buyers walking through the doors, she said. The business may close before the property is sold.