News

Jan 04, 2024

Alta Greenhouse celebrates 100 years in business

MANSFIELD — Josh Maurer said diversity has been the key to Alta Florist and Greenhouse’s success. While similar businesses have shut their doors, Alta marked its 100th anniversary this year. “We’ve

MANSFIELD — Josh Maurer said diversity has been the key to Alta Florist and Greenhouse’s success.

While similar businesses have shut their doors, Alta marked its 100th anniversary this year.

“We’ve got not just plants, we’ve got our gift shop, we’ve got our floral department. We pride ourselves on diversity,” Maurer said.

Alta Florist & Greenhouse is located at 935 South Home Road. The family-owned and operated business carries a variety of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, houseplants, trees and shrubs grown onsite in its greenhouses and nursery.

A gift shop offers wind chimes, decorative flower pots, memorial stones and gardening supplies.

The florist offers arrangements for weddings, proms, funerals, memorials and everyday needs.

“This is where us husbands come to buy flowers when we’re in trouble with our wives,” joked Richland County commissioner Tony Vero during a celebratory ribbon cutting. “This is truly a great place in a great location. We’re excited for you to grow the next 100 years.”

The site where the greenhouse sits was once a lumberyard and general store, located along the B&O Railroad. Maurer said the area was named ‘Alta’ — the Spanish word for tall — because it was one of the highest points along the route. Trains would stop there to refill their water tanks and the property owners grew tomatoes and lettuce to sell at the store.

As the agricultural venture expanded and the lumber business shrank, the owners of the property shifted their efforts. Alta Greenhouse opened on April 16, 1923.

Since then, Alta has had five owners. It was founded by the Clever family, who later sold it to the Garber family.

The current owners, Maurer and his partner Michael Henry, purchased the business from Henry’s uncle this year. The two will be third generation owners; Henry’s uncle purchased the business from his mother-in-law. The business expanded with a second location in Shelby about 14 years ago.

Maurer and Henry used to think the business opened in 1927 until the original owner’s family set them straight.

“The granddaughter of the founder came to us as she ripped through her family album and corrected us very sternly last year,” Maurer told Mansfield City Council in June.

Although its centennial was technically a few months ago, Alta is celebrating this month. Customers can enjoy 30 percent off everything through Aug. 14.

The business commemorated its centennial by donating 100 trees to the Mansfield Shield Tree Commission.

“(Henry and I) both sit on the Shade Tree Commission,” Maurer said.

“We were getting ready to push the order button on free giveaways for different things, umbrellas and whatnot. We thought instead of something that’s going to last maybe six months or a year in your car, why not give back to the community and donate trees that are going to be here for hundreds of years to come?”

As customers milled around during a 100th anniversary ribbon cutting on Friday, workers were installing another greenhouse on the property.

“When we did our offerings for spring this year, we learned that we are vastly out of space,” Maurer said.

Once the new one is complete, Alta’s total greenhouse space will be more than an acre.

“It’s expanding, we’re excited to keep growing,” Maurer said of the business. “We want to thank the community for supporting us.

“We couldn’t have gotten here without them and we look forward to going into the future.”

Staff reporter at Richland Source since 2019. I focus on education, housing and features. Clear Fork alumna. Always looking for a chance to practice my Spanish. Got a tip? Email me at [email protected]. More by Katie Ellington Serrao