Mary Weasley, affectionately known as “Miss Mary,” pioneered the first-ever Black-owned floral shop in Seattle’s Central District. Since then, she has flourished as a dedicated business owner, offering exceptional community services.
According to King 5 News, Weasley opened Flowers Just-4-U in 1984. She became interested in floral arrangements as a hobby but turned it into a business after realizing there were no floral shops in her neighborhood.
“It was just something I loved to do and it was giving something back to my community. We did not have a flower shop in the community,” Wesley told King 5 News.
Over the past 40 years, Weasley recalled creating bouquets for all occasions throughout Seattle and beyond.
“Oh my Lord,” Wesley said, laughing. “Tens of thousands. 40 years? That’s not just peanuts, that’s a big number…. I’ve got to tell you, I did flowers for Liza Minelli. We’ve done flowers for the [Seattle] Mariners.”
Weasley also discussed how her then-husband would always buy her flowers. She was inspired to launch Flowers Just-4-U after receiving a bouquet that didn’t match the order.
“My husband at the time would love to give me flowers, and one I had to send back — I just rejected it because it was done so poorly,” Wesley said. “Then I started thinking, ‘We need a flower shop.’ We’re not just going to have somebody dump anything over on us. I’m going to give my customers what they’re buying, and not garbage.”
While Weasley had become a community favorite with her floral shop, she also faced several hardships while keeping the business afloat.
Weasley was forced to relocate Flowers Just-4-U to another location in 2018 due to new development in a now-gentrified Central District, The Seattle Times previously reported.. The new setting had less customer traffic and parking, but Weasley continued doing what she loved best: caring for others.
Two years later, Weasley faced eviction, and community members quickly stepped in to save the beloved floral shop. They donated to a GoFundMe campaign that raised enough money to keep Weasley from closing her doors permanently.
This year marks the 40th anniversary since Weasley opened her floral shop. Her single employee, Sue Grimord, shared how the establishment has become a special place for her.
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“We’re a family, we just are. Makes me cry,” Grimord told King 5 News.
Before transitioning into entrepreneurship, Weasley spent 29 years working at Boeing. She views Flowers Just-4-U as her retirement plan and shows no signs of slowing down.
“It’s a very joyous thing. I can never find the words to say it how I’d like to express it because there’s not a word yet I think I could use that would really explain how I feel about my career,” she said.
