Iris Finds New Home – Blossom Building

Sometimes things just work out. After she’s rented for 11 years, she wasn’t at all sure she’d find a place in time to remain open. Gesualdi talked about selling off as much as possible, then putting the rest in storage until the right space came up.

Well, the right space was there all the time. The building at 93 Main Street, former home of Blossom Florist, has been vacant for many months and it was only a few doors away from Gesualdi’s current location.

But there was a catch. Gesualdi would have to buy the building. The owner was not interested in renting it to her.

Even after 25 years in business, Gesualdi was hesitant about making the purchase, but finally she and her husband, David Gesualdi, decided to buy the building. Work began last week to prepare it for .

The space has plenty going for it, including the large amount of window space on Main Street that Iris said was a requirement.

“As it stands right now, I’ll take the whole space,” said Gesualdi last week. “They’re working on it now. If need be, they can get me into the front half of it” and continue working on the back part.

This will be the third location for Bags By Iris in East Greenwich, all three of them on the same side of the same block of Main Street.

“It has been an emotional roller coaster for the last month,” wrote David Gesualdi in an email. “But the future looks bright and the Iris is ready to rock and roll and maintain her position as the ‘best retail store in East Greenwich.’”