West Greenville soon to lose oldest Black-woman-owned florist after 35 years in business

Bouquets of roses and peace lilies are still standing spry along the showroom floor of Flowers by Pat, a flower shop wedged between West Greenville and the West End.

But the business, owned by a Black woman, is soon to end as the longtime boutique is set to close. The building at 516 Arlington Ave. will likely be sold soon.

Patricia Agnew, 73, owner of the florist shop, is ready to retire and close the business because of her age, underlying health conditions and the lack of consistent help.

"I hate to give it up, but I want to live," said Agnew. "I've got a granddaughter at S.C. State that I want to see cross the stage, and that's very important to me."

Agnew will leave behind the personalized business relationships established on the west side of Greenville. She will say goodbye to a neighborhood she has decorated and defined with condolences, celebratory flowers, and just-because gestures since 1987. Pat and her husband, William, financed the property for $25,000, according to County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and property records.

Agnew believes the site will morph into a new development to complement the allure of new shops, restaurants and condos headed to the West End. The property sits on .055 acres of land.

As of November, Agnew and her realtor, Kelvin Paul of Century 21, put her property on the market for $450,000. In January, they dropped the price to $379,000.

"Investors are invested in the lot of land, but not the business," Paul said. "Before she put the property on the market, there were people trying to get it for dirt cheap."

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According to Agnew, a potential buyer, on several occasions, tried to purchase the property for $80,000 in cash - once whispers her property would soon become available. Once it hit the market, the same individual offered $150,000.

Paul said this practice of under-cutting is commonly done to quickly buy and flip a property from a frantic, unknowing seller.

Pat remained firm - like her business, West Greenville ties and what she will pass down through her efforts over the years.

Greenville gives Pat Agnew her flowers

Through proximity, word-of-mouth and family-like relationships built over three decades, Agnew's mom-and-pop flower shop will vanish like other Black staples on the west side of Greenville. McKinney Florist on Doe Street moved to Anderson Street, Clark's Floristry closed in the early 2000s, and Flowers by Danny, formerly on Green Avenue in the West End, also closed.

"There was no one that could match Danny," said Talitha Thomas, volunteer funeral director at Beasley's Funeral Home. "But then Pat stepped up and replaced him when he left."

"Flower prices can be astronomical," Thomas said. "She is very valuable as a Black business, serving families that sometimes just don't have it. Without her, we are going to be lost."

During COVID-19, Thomas saw many Black families face the economic hardships of giving their loved ones a proper burial service. She said Agnew kept her flower prices consistent over the years and even allowed some to pay later.

"If you told Pat that you only had $150, she'll give you $150 worth of work and it will look just as good as the $400 basket," Thomas said. "Culturally, she knows what the customers need."

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Sarah Dendy, recording secretary at United House of Prayer in Pendleton, has been one of Agnew's customers for some time. She said Agnew definitely will be missed.

"I order flowers for my church and family because Pat is someone you become accustomed to," said Sarah Dendy, recording secretary at United House of Prayer in Pendleton. "She made deals if people didn't have the money.

"I asked her to please, still stay open."

Where will West Greenville's next bouquets come from?

Within the city limits, Flowers by Pat and Mahaba Floristry are the only two Black-owned flower shops in Greenville. Their connection is rooted in business and family ties.

Nikeema Lee, owner of Mahaba Floristry since 2020, and Pat meet weekly with a flower distributor and Lee's aunt, Brenice Patterson, who once worked in Pat's flower shop. Although Lee is a third-generation florist, she attributes much of what she learned about business taxes and local vendor connections to Agnew.

"You can't go anywhere in the floral business and not be touched by Pat in some way," Lee said. "To see her leave, that's the final thing that says, 'we're essentially now different', Mrs. Pat's shop solidifies the last part of what that part of town was for that community."

Their styles differ. Agnew's business was built on word-of-mouth, church-based relationships and door-to-door marketing in the 1980s. Lee uses social media and wire services to sell her floristry to weddings, parties, funerals, and, of course, the holiday crowds.

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The Mahaba Floristry owner estimates a florist can make $350,000 per year if they participate in the hospitality and entertainment areas.

"In the flower business, our Super Bowl is Mother's Day and Valentine's Day is like the NBA Finals," Lee said.

The cohesion and understanding between Agnew and Lee make their relationship a hand-off rooted in love and flowers.

A community and change in West Greenville

Black-owned staples on Greenville's Westside, such as OJ's Diner and the Center for Educational Equity along Pendleton Street, are still standing strong. Remnants of the Greenville Cultural Exchange Center, and at least three past flower shops, are defunct.

A former barber school in the strip mall on Pendleton and Burdette streets is also gone.

"To lose her, unless another person comes in to purchase that facility or moves into that area, we're lost," said (need first or last name) Thomas, volunteer funeral director at Beasley's. "Having watched this community totally change from Black to what it is now is a whole lot different."

Neighborhood redevelopment and time have forced at least three former Black-owned flower shops to close since the late 1990s. However, Agnew's impact will live on through the stories of her kindness to the community, and the tutelage passed down to Lee and others.

"Having a flower shop brings a level of calmness to the storm of what a community experiences," Lee said. "Once upon a time, you didn't go on that side of town unless you knew someone. Pat was a part of that community. "

– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and more for The Greenville News and Anderson Independent Mail. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on Twitter @ajhappened. 

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Flowers by Pat in West Greenville closing after 35 years in business.