In the early 50’s, O. Ben Haley, Jr. and his brother Charles T. Haley, Sr. owned and operated Junglewood Greenhouses, Inc. in southwest Denver growing the famous “Colorado Carnations”. While Chuck managed the greenhouses, Ben worked for the marketing co-op known as The Denver Wholesale Florist Company as its General Manager.
Circa 1954, a floral company in Colorado Springs known as Pikes Peak Floral Company (a small greenhouse with an attached flower shop) was looking for new owners and management. The Haley Brothers along with some other interested parties, elected to make the acquisition. Chuck moved to Colorado Springs to manage the newly acquired company while Ben remained in Denver to continue his work with Denver Wholesale and oversee the Junglewood greenhouse operation.
The retail shop was sold quickly and Pikes Peak Wholesale, Florist, Inc. in Colorado Springs was formed as the marketing arm of Pikes Peak Greenhouses, Inc. Though on a smaller scale, Pikes Peak Wholesale was modeled after the Denver Co-op, which the Haley Brothers were so familiar. While sales were made to some local retail florists, the bulk of the production was sold to wholesale florists and jobbers across the country.
July 5, 1978
Pikes Peak opened its doors for business in Houston as a branch operation of Pikes Peak Wholesale Florists, Inc. of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Houston’s economy was booming. Though competition was keen, the investors felt that, with so much direct shipping into the Houston market, a good wholesaler would succeed.
November 15, 1980
Following a remarkable reception into the Houston marketplace, the Company decided to open a 2nd store in New Orleans. The operating philosophies and style were to be the same, and the company set out to build a management team that would commit itself to the same end that the Houston store had done two years earlier.
April 30, 1982
Pikes Peak of Texas, Inc. was incorporated in the state of Texas with its corporate offices in Houston, and a branch operation in New Orleans, Louisiana.
January 2, 1984
Pikes Peak opened its 3rd store in the the capital city of Austin, Texas. Being located within 3 hours of Houston, Pikes Peak of Austin enjoys the advantage of being able to exchange merchandise inventories with the Houston store, allowing them to offer a broader selection to their customers.
July 6, 1987
Pikes Peak opened its wholly owned subsidiary known as Equinox Floral International, Inc. Equinox specialized in the importation of flowers from Mexico and Central America for distribution to wholesale florists throughout the USA.
November 1, 1989
Pikes Peak opened its 4th branch in Dallas, Texas (Pikes Peak of Dallas) by acquiring the The Kester Wholesale Floral Company, Inc. Pikes Peak had been affiliated with Kester since its inception in October, 1986.
August 1, 1991
Pikes Peak opened its 5th branch serving the retail floral market in Memphis, Tennessee.
September 30, 1991
Pikes Peak sold its interest in Equinox to one of its suppliers, thereby allowing management to concentrate its resources and skills on the further development of its existing full-service wholesale florist locations.
June 30, 2002
Finding Pikes Peak of Memphis beyond the geographical reach that is enjoyed by the other locations, the Corporation decided to offer this branch for sale to another wholesale florist in Tennessee.
July 1, 2003
The Corporation had an opportunity to re-acquire and revive the Memphis branch, however this effort was aborted on May 28, 2004.
Today, Pikes Peak of Texas, Inc. has operations in
Houston – Austin – New Orleans – Dallas.
All operate as a local wholesale florist with each serving the retail florists in their immediate market area, within a 150-mile radius of each store. As a national wholesale florist chain, Pikes Peak enjoys world-wide buying power that translates into extraordinary quality, selection and value. The many benefits in a chain environment like this are really remarkable.