Collegeville Florist Fights Back Against Flower Tents

After the Collegeville Zoning Hearing Board approved a parking variance to permit a Cella Industries flower tent to be erected in the parking lot of the Collegeville Shopping Center, one local florist has taken things into her own hands.

Jenny Greenwald, who owns a flower shop at 360 E. Main Street in Collegeville, will open her own tent next to her flower shop – “a local alternative to the tent guys” - called the Garden at Greenwald, on April 15.  A Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting will be held on April 18 at 10 a.m., and the tent will be up through mid-June, according to a press release. Hours of operation will be 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Greenwald, whose flower shop has been a part of Collegeville since 1989 and operates year-round, issued a press release regarding her plan, and her issues concerning the “over-priced, dried out, gaunt plants in pots and baskets.”

At April's Collegeville Borough Council meeting, Greenwald emphasized that she wasn't trying to eliminate competition; it was about keeping things local. Cella Industries, LLC, is based out of Conshohocken.

“The tent people are not usually locals,” the press release says. “They do not advertise in our local newspapers or media.  They do not patronize local businesses.  They do not pay local taxes.  They often do not pay rent 12 months per year.

“Some import the lowest quality plants from Canada and charge exorbitant prices.  The tent people prey on innocent victims off to visit Grand mom, or mom, or someone special.  They exist only for a short period of time in the spring.  They make as much money as they can and then leave town and take their money with them,” Greenwald said.

A portion of the proceeds from the Garden at Greenwald donated to the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce and to the Collegeville Economic Development Corporation.

According to Greenwald, the Garden at Greenwald will feature only plant material grown locally in Collegeville, and will be part of the Pennsylvania Preferred Program, which is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Cella Industries has flower tents in several neighboring municipalities, and many in the Plymouth and Conshohocken area.

According to a letter written to Collegeville Borough by Brixmor, the owners of the Collegeville Shopping Center, “hosting the flower tent even would bring activity to our center and help drive traffic to our other tenants.”

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional information on Thursday at 8 a.m.