Barber’s Flowers

THE PICKY PETAL PEOPLE OF BARBERS FLOWERS

Belleville first enters the florist business in the 1890’s when immigrants bring the Farmers’ Market concept from Europe to Canada’s “new world”. Gardeners and flowers become more popular and we enjoy the beautiful bouquet of delightful fragrances every Saturday at Front and McAnnany Street as we stroll around the Farmers’ Market in Market Square. Cut flowers then become more widely available at local businesses including downtown pharmacies such as Holden’s and Geen’s.

In 1849, Samuel Stanley Potter is welcomed into the world by his parents John and Catherine, and is quickly nicknamed S.S. by his family. At the age of 25, he establishes S.S. Potter Florist, Fruit and Vegetable Growers on 12 acres of land in Ameliasburg, Ontario, at Mountain View. He opens the first commercial greenhouse in Prince Edward County, and is also the proud owner of one of The County’s first canning operations. 

S.S. and his wife Jane Ann have four daughters: Eugenie Gertrude, Lottie May, Ethel Irene and Sarah Catherine. Lottie May marries William James Barber in 1887, bonding the Potter and Barber families together. 

They have three sons and S.S. asks their oldest son John Stanley, who goes by the name of Stanley to come join him in his business to help out. After William passes away in 1920 due to appendicitis complications, Lottie leaves the family farm and joins her son Stanley at S.S.Potter’s businesses. It skips a generation but eventually that generation comes to work with the family.

In 1890, S.S. opens a little ambrosial shop called Potter’s Flowers, the pride and joy of the Potter family. It is located in the Market Square on Pinnacle Street in the east end of the Police Station that is located there. He eventually moves to 24 McAnnany Street in the downtown area. Edgar Brown is the manager and S.S. carries on the family business until 1920 when he unofficially retires but still drops by often to check on operations and to offer advice until he passes away in 1930.

Stanley marries Margaret Black in 1922 and they have two sons,Willet James Barber born in 1924 and Robert ’Bob’ Stanley Barber born in 1931.  Their two boys carry on the Barber tradition. Willet James Barber looks after the greenhouse operations until his retirement in 1989 and his younger brother Bob looks after the store operations until his retirement in 1996. The family business changes name to Barbers Flowers Limited in 1957 when it becomes incorporated.

Bob Barber begins his long career by helping his father Stan with deliveries. The day he turned 16 he gets his driver’s license and begins delivering flowers from his truck after school; working 65 years in the flower business!

In 1976, the store and property at 24 McAnnany Street is purchased by a builder and demolished to build the Century Place development at 199 Front Street in Belleville and Barbers Flowers move to their current location at 122 Front Street. 

Quote from Anne Barber MacKinnon:

‘It was like the Monopoly Game. We traded deeds, and the city gave a bit of cash to renovate.’

Bob’s youngest daughter Anne starts working in the business before and after school in the mid-70’s and keeps the family tradition going strong. She takes over the business when Bob retired in 1996. She is a pioneer of modern technology with her continuous updating of plant and flower knowledge and the e-commerce involved in running a successful flower shop.

Her mom turns 89 this month and her dad just turned 90. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in November 2020.

THE PICKY PETAL PEOPLE of Barber’s Flowers have been growing and selling flowers in Belleville for over 131 years and invite you to stop by and say hello as you stroll downtown.

Quote from Bob Barber:

‘We inspect our flowers for top quality freshness and insure everything going out of the store is something we would be proud to send to our own family and friends’

Gerry Fraiberg from the Hastings County Historical Society sat down with Bob Barber for a chat about the history: