Tucked in a densely-populated area of the western boundary of Cleveland, Puritas Nursery does business as it has for the past 100 years on Puritas Road.
The long-standing nursery has drawn praise from Cleveland City Councilperson Charles Slife and local developers and organizers. In a resolution read by Slife at a City Council meeting, he described Puritas as “…a greenhouse version of the beloved TV tavern Cheers.”
And for 100 years, the nursery and its owners have done their best to know everyone’s names.
100 years of history
Established in 1925 by Jack Fiorelli Sr. and his brother as Fiorelli Brothers Nursery, a residential greenhouse, it was part of a vast industry reaching 400 acres under glass by the early 1960s that eventually made Cleveland “the Greenhouse Capital of America.”
Jack Fiorelli Jr. later acquired his uncle’s share of the business and the name was changed to Puritas Nursery.
Fiorelli Jr.’s nephew , Dale Heyink, the nursery’s present owner, worked for his uncle in his teen years. A resident of Parma, Heyink took two buses and the rapid to work each shift. Bus routes changed on the weekends so he was allowed to drive a nursery truck home on the weekend.
When speaking with The Land, Heyink recalled how different the greenhouse business was compared to today. Bushes were grown in a field and dug out at the time of purchase; the root ball wrapped in burlap for each customer. Flowers and vegetables were grown in wooden flats and cut out with a knife, wrapped in newspaper at point of sale. The nursery sterilized its own soil heated by a boiler in the basement. Heyink carried the heavy, handmade flats to cars parked on Puritas Road.
“I was kinda like a sponge,” Heyink said, remembering when he listened and learned the nursery trade. He attended Benedictine College in Atchison Kansas earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and special education and a Master’s Degree from Kansas State Teachers College in counseling. Realizing he really loved working in the greenhouse, he took the opportunity to buy the business from his uncle in 1985.
In 1988, a wholesaler offered to sell some of Puritas Nursery’s flats but said they were too heavy and change was made to a soilless mix which is still used today. To date, Heyink does not rely on wholesale business except for some pansies and mums. He does recall driving out to sell wholesale geraniums and a range of tomatoes in the early years.
Always “a sponge”, Heyink still attends seminars whenever he can to learn even more about his trade. That knowledge is readily shared with customers. Comparing the nursery business in the past, he said customers came to their neighborhood garden centers to purchase everything. Now, mulch and soil and plants can be purchased at gas stations and even food stores.
“What keeps us afloat is we know what we are doing and I can give information they can’t get anywhere else,” he said.
A community celebrates a centennial
As a proud business member of West Park, Heyink hopes he is also known for his lifelong commitment to the community. His annual holiday train display is a destination for families each year. They also participate in the Tour of Good Cheer and the WPKND Holiday Cheer, along with many private functions.
The City of Cleveland gave Puritas Nursery a Resolution of Congratulations earlier this year in recognition of its 100th anniversary
“Puritas Nursery stands as a West Park landmark, a beacon of quality, integrity, and knowledge, and a testament to the values that define the community, setting itself apart from impersonal chain stores by offering genuine commitment and expertise,” the resolution reads.
David Robinson, executive director of West Park Kamms Neighborhood Development (WPKND) told The Land, “West Park extends its heartfelt thanks and blooming gratitude to Dale and his family at Puritas Nursery & Garden Center. This iconic neighborhood institution proves that a great business with an even greater product can withstand the test of time. But it’s not just about the plants, it’s about the budding memories made during all four seasons that have blossomed across generations of greater Clevelanders. We offer a hearty congratulations on the centennial anniversary!”
For more information: http://puritasnursery.com/Puritas_Nursery/News.html
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