Los Angeles Flower Market of the American Florists Exchange
Announces History Book Project

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Pictorial souvenir volume will depict the growth of the largest market for fresh flowers
in the U.S. from L.A.’s early flower farms to today’s flourishing trade district.

(LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 26, 2007) The Los Angeles Flower Market (LAFM) of the American Florists Exchange (AFE) has commissioned the research and production of a comprehensive historical account of the Market, to be published in Late 2008.

The hardbound collector’s book, with the working title of “Sending Flowers to America: Stories of the Los Angeles Flower Market and the People Who Built an American Floral Industry,” was announced today at the shareholders’ meeting of the LAFM / AFE. The book will feature personal stories, historical documents and photographs contributed by floriculture wholesalers, retailers, growers and suppliers involved with the Market since it began in downtown Los Angeles in 1921.

The growth of L.A.’s floral industry mirrors that of the Los Angeles metropolitan region. Over time, urban sprawl replaced the mid-city flower fields once worked by generations of Japanese and European immigrants who hauled flowers to open markets in family cars and trucks, and in some cases, by horse and wagon. Their family stories, ambitions and flower-growing talents are the foundation of today’s regional floriculture industry. The advent of more available water for irrigation, excellent coastal flower-cultivation conditions, and better ways to transport fresh flowers to other metropolitan markets – plus the popularity of Pasadena’s annual Tournament of Roses Parade – have been major influences on the Market’s growth over the years.

“We are very pleased to be making an archival quality record of the stories and milestones in our history,” said Johnny Mellano, the AFE board member who announced the project. “These stories have been passed down to us through generations of flower industry families.”

Financial supporters of the history project will be recognized in the book’s corporate partners section. Wordpix Solutions of Buena Park, Calif. will oversee the project.

About the Los Angeles Flower Market / American Florists Exchange

The Los Angeles Flower Market of the American Florists Exchange is located at 754 Wall Street, near downtown Los Angeles, and is part of the Los Angeles Flower District. The Market is primarily a wholesale venue bringing together floral wholesalers, floral designers, flower growers, shippers, distributors, floral suppliers, event planners and retail florists in the floriculture and horticulture industries, and is the largest market for fresh flowers in the United States. The Market also has retail hours for the general public. For more information and market hours, visit www.laflowerdistrict.com . For more information about the Flower Market History Project, visit www.flowermarkethistory.com.
 

MEDIA CONTACT
Peggi Ridgway, Project Manager
AFE History Project
P.O. Box 129
Buena Park, CA 90621-0129
Phone: 714 228-1101 c/o Wordpix Solutions
Email: peg flowermarkethistory.com

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