Hugo Klotz and Klotz Florist

Hugo was "Pop" to the family. "Mrs. Klotz" was Ida or Nana. This untitled article has no source or date. It must be from before the family sold the green houses across the road, "sometime after WorldWar II" according to Aunt Sue. I've added a couple of her comments and a few photos. Following the article is an advertisement for Hugo Klotz Florist and "The Home of Flowers."

"Pop" Hugo Klotz

Hugo Klotz was born near Dresden, Germany in 1872 and at the age of 14 years entered the florist business as apprentice boy for George Muller in Dobritz by Dresden. After serving his apprenticeship he was employed in London, England for two years after which he returned to Germany. [According to Aunt Sue, he sold flowers in Covent Gardens.]

Mrs. Klotz has been in the florist business all her life. Her father had a business near Frankfort, Germany. Mrs. Klotz served her apprenticeship in Frankfort, in one of the leading florist establishments. [She told Aunt Sue that when she first started, they put her in a back room and had her make bows "until they looked like butterflies."]

It was while working in Frankfort that Mr. and Mrs. Klotz met. After they were married they conducted a florist business near Dresden. From there they came to America landing in New York in 1904.

Mr. Klotz was then with Julius Roehrs in Rutherford for a short time, after which he took charge of the greenhouses of C. W. McCutchen on Rockview Ave., Plainfield.

The house on Green Brook Road before the store was added around it.

In 1916 Mr. Klotz decided to start his own business and from a small beginning of but 1800 square feet of glass has grown to 50,000 square feet of glass the largest glass area in Plainfield. During the season as many as twenty five people are employed.

In the nursery there are approximately 60,000 evergreens of all varieties. One greenhouse is exclusively devoted to the growing of Gardenias. Thousands of which are shipped to Baltimore, New York and Newark. Carnations, Gerba, Snapdragons, chrysanthemums and many other varieties of cut flowers can be seen at his greenhouses in season.

The greenhouses on Green Brook Road, across the street from the store. (Aunt Sue remembered the boys playing around the big smoke stack and climbing it.).

Thousands of azaleas, hydrangeas, poinsettias, geraniums, a variety of bedding plants and many other varieties of potted plants are grown in his greenhouses. The Annual Flower Show held every Palm Sunday is visited by thousands from all over New Jersey.

The front entrance to Klotz Florist on Green Brook Road after the store had been built around the family home.

Aunt Sue continued the story up to the store's demise.

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