Oberer's Flowers History

Oberer's Flowers in the News
Oberer's Flowers roots did not begin with flowers, but vegetables

Oberer's Flowers beginning goes back to the 1890s when Carl Oberer, an immigrant from Germany bought a plot of land north of Dayton on Troy Pike and started growing vegetables. He grew lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and sold them at market in downtown Dayton. This was called "truck gardening" which contrary to common belief has nothing to do with trucks at all. An old meaning of the word "truck", derived from the French word torquer, is "to barter or exchange". It wasn't long before Carl gained a reputation for having the best tasting vegetables in the city.

The Carl Oberer homestead 1904
Located on RR 4 (Now Troy Street)

Along with the produce Carl and his family grew flowers that were also sold at market. As time went on and his family grew, he found that people couldn't get enough flowers and they sold in larger quantities be than the vegetables. In 1921 the decision was made to clear the fields and start erecting greenhouses for the purpose of solely growing flowers. The family studied growing flowers and learned the trade of flower designing, and by 1922 Oberer's Truck garden came to an end and Oberer's Flowers
was born.

Oberer's Flowers since 1922

The original flower shop showroom built 1922

By the 1920s Oberer's Flowers was in full swing. As the business grew the whole family became involved. The three sons, Gerhard, Roy and Carl along with their sisters, Caroline, Viola, Matilda and Alma all had their duties. As they married, their spouses and children would become involved in growing the business, and grow it certainly did!

Oberer's Flowers Today

We are ready to deliver "your" flowers.

Today Oberer's Flowers has two subsidiary companies and five operating divisions including our Central Production Facility, Retail Stores, Greenhouse & Growing Operation, Wholesale Floral and two Import Divisions (one for fresh international product and another for international hard goods). We've grown from a single horse and wagon to a fleet of over 70 delivery vehicles.

South American Rose Farm

Our corporate headquarters is still located right where it all began on Troy Street in Dayton, Ohio, we have multiple retail operations spanning three states in the Mid West serving customers in Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton Metro area in Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana and Northern Kentucky. We also operate support facilities in Miami, Florida; Quito, Ecuador and even have an office in Shen Yang, China located in the Heping District.

Glass blowing factory in China.

We didn't become the 5th Largest Florist in the United States because it's what we set out to do. It's the direct result of what happens when a single customer recommended to a friend that they buy flowers from Mr. Oberer back in 1921.

We've never forgotten the power of a single customer, and that's why you can be certain that we'll handle your order the way we handled our very first. Like it's our most important! important!