Olson’s Florist
499 Court Street
Salem, Or 97301
Phone:. 503-363-7166
Located in the historic T.G. Bligh Building
On the northwest corner of High and Court Streets, NE, is Olson’s Florist. It is on the ground-level of the T.G. Bligh Building. (Typist’s note: It is also directly across High Street from the Salem Area Transit [Cherriots Bus] Station.)
From 1926 until 2003, Olson’s Florist has been in the historic T.G. Bligh Building. Frost Olson, Mr. Anderson, Kelly Peters and his wife, and now his son Kevin Peters, and his wife Becky, have carried the torch for one of Salem’s most historical shops.
Becky Peters was asked what there is about Olson’s Florist that she would like people to know. Her reply was, “Most people don’t really know where we are. Because of our small showroom, they think we are a small business. We have a lot of space that the average person can’t see. Behind the scenes, our staff is working to assure that our flowers are arranged and delivered in a timely fashion. We take care of our flowers. They last longer because of the additives we put in the water. We go this extra mile to keep our flowers fresh.”
Becky Peters explained, “Our flowers come from places like Portland, Southern California, Holland, South America. They come from pretty much all over the world, wherever they grow flowers.”
Olson’s Florist is a giving occupation. Peters said, ” We try to get an idea from the people about what the occasion calls for. Then, we try to do as good a job on it as possible. We deal with the flowers from the time we buy them until they are sent out, and it all deals with emotion. You find yourself rejoicing with some, and find remorse with others. You have to have empathy. All of your giving goes into the floral arrangement and the person it is for.”
The busiest time of year for Olson Florists is “Most definitely Valentine’s Day.” she replied. “It takes two months of solid planning and work to get ready for it. On an average day, we will deliver 25-30 arrangements. On Valentine’s Day, we will deliver 300-400 arrangements.”
Ms Peters also explained that floral arranging is an art. “But you cannot be successful in it unless you know how to do business. Before I came to Olson’s, I worked for 15 years in banking. I now staff, price, and do many other things. I attend seminars to keep us abreast of the industry. We have three people working for us who once had their own shops, but they didn’t like the business side of it. Now, they do what they are best at – – and they don’t have to deal with the business end of it. I do that.”
Background on Bligh Building
This is a one-story Revival style concrete commercial building on the northwest corner of High and Court streets. This 82-by-120-foot building has a Mission Revival style multi-curved parapet at the building corners, and small ornamental brickwork elements below the cornice.
The storefront appears to retain the original bulkhead materials and proportions, with the windows replaced to include aluminum sash. Some of the storefront windows and transoms have been painted over, but they remain in place. A fabric awning extends out from the building above the transoms. The building retains its integrity and contributes to the historic qualities of the district.
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1874, Thomas Gregory Bligh came to the U.S. with his wife Anna and their family. They came from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, around the turn of the century, settling first in Portland, and then in Salem in 1910.
He and his son Frank soon opened the Star Theater. In 1912, the Blighs’ built the combined Bligh Hotel and Bligh Theater on the north side of State Street next to the Masonic Building, between High and Liberty Streets.
In 1922, T.G. Bligh bought the corner lot where Olson Florist now resides. It was then a one-story wood-framed dwelling and office building owned by the Salem Elks fraternal organization.
In November, 1922, T.G. Bligh died in an automobile accident. Franklin D. Bligh took over the family hotel and theater business. He completed the T.G. Bligh Building in 1923. Anna Bligh owned the building until 1927. In 1926, Frosty Olson opened and ran Olson’s Florist.
In 1927, Charles P. Bishop bought the building. He built and owned (with his sons) three woolen mills from Portland, Oregon, to Eureka, California. He also owned a men’s clothing store in Salem. Mr. Bishop was Salem’s mayor from 1899-1906. He was a State Senator from 1915-1918. And, he was a trustee of Willamette University for three decades. He died at the age of 87 in 1941.
The T.G. Bligh Building and Olson’s Florist have at least one thing in common. They were built and run by industrious people. The diligence and care of Olson’s Florist does nothing but make it an important asset to Salem. After all these years, it still finds itself a part of Salem’s past, present and future.
Compiled and written by William Glennen
Bibliography
Kevin & Becky Peters, William Stanton, personal interview, Wednesday, 1/08/2003,
Nomination for National Historic Register, Downtown Salem, 2000
1972 supplement to the Capital Journal newspaper, “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow”
Olson’s Florist in Bligh Building
Timeline for Olson Florist
1926: Frosty Olson opened and ran Olson’s Florist.
1962: Kelly Peters and a Mr. Anderson bought the business from Mr. Olson.
1954: Kelly Peters bought out Mr. Anderson. He and his wife maintained the name and ran it until 1983.
1983: Kevin Peters bought 1/4 of the business from Kelly Peters.
1985: Kevin Peters bought the remainder of the business from Kelly Peters.
2003: Kevin and Becky Peters own and operate Olson’s Florist.
Timeline for T. G. Bligh Building
1874: Thomas Gregory Bligh born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
1890: Charles P. Bishop takes over the Salem Woolen Mill Store and started the clothing store which bears his name, located on west side of Commercial Street between Court and Chemeketa Streets; has two employees and 22-foot by 60-foot floor space.
1899: T.G. Bligh and his wife and family emigrate from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to Salem, Oregon.
1899-1906: C.P. Bishop is Salem’s Mayor.
1902: Bishop’s Men’s Store moves to 136 Commercial St. N.
1910: T.G. Bligh and his wife settle in Salem, Oregon; he and son Frank open the Star Theater.
1912: The Blighs build the combined Bligh Hotel and Bligh Theater on the north side of State Street, between High and Liberty Streets.
1915-1918: C.P. Bishop is Oregon’s State Senator.
1922: T.G. Bligh buys corner lot that will one day be Olson’s Florist; dies in auto accident in November; Franklin D. Bligh takes over family business.
1923: F.D. Bligh completes T.G. Bligh Building.
1926: Frosty Olson opens and runs Olson’s Florist.
1926-2003: Olson’s Florist has remained in the Bligh Building 78 years.
1927: Anna Bligh, T.G. Bligh’s widow, owns building until C.P. Bishop buys it. Bishop owns, with his sons, three woolen mills from Portland, Oregon to Eureka, California. His sons also co- own Bishop’s Men’s Store.
1928: Bishop’s Men’s Store expands to 18 employees.
1937: Bishop’s Men’s Store moves to 145 Liberty St.; has 8,000-square-feet and two floors.
1941: Charles P. Bishop dies at 87.
1962: Kelly Peters and a Mr. Anderson bought the business from Mr. Olson.
1964: Kelly Peters bought out Mr. Anderson. He and his wife maintained the name and ran it until 1983.
1966: Bishop’s Men’s Store moves to Salem Plaza on the corner of Center and High Streets.
1983: Kevin Peters bought a portion of the business from Kelly Peters.
1985: Kevin Peters bought the remainder of the business from Kelly Peters.
2003: Kevin and Becky Peters own and operate Olson’s Florist.
This article originally appeared on the original Salem Online History site and has not been updated since 2006.
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