By Anna Yoder | Columnist

Pittsburgh is famous for so many things that it is hard to compile all of them into a single list. Yet, there may be one famous fact that might not be as well known. It is the connection of the 1952 classic movie “Singin’ in the Rain” to a historic Pittsburgh flower shop. To learn what that connection is, you will need to read the rest of this column. I do not want to spoil the surprise.

The historic Oliver’s Flower Shop is a Pittsburgh staple that has been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to Pittsburghers since the Great Depression. Founded in 1929 by a gentleman named Oliver, Oliver’s Flower Shop remains in the same family to this day! How many businesses can make that claim?

However, Oliver’s Flower Shop has not been headquartered in the Northside for all 95 years of their years in business. The founder Oliver, settled on Squirrel Hill as the location for his original floral shop. After many successful years, Oliver’s Flower Shop expanded their business with a satellite location in the Union Trust building. Eventually the floral shop consolidated its operations to a 6th Ave. location — still maintaining the Oliver’s name.

Eventually, the building which housed Oliver’s 6th Ave. location transitioned to condos with other first floor retail and Oliver’s was forced to relocate. Their need to relocate is what brought Oliver’s to the Northside. Rick Conley (whose uncle was Oliver) is the current owner of Oliver’s Flower Shop and employs 10 people at the shop.

I chatted with Vice President of Operations Matt Suzon — who has been with Oliver’s since 2001 — about their move to the Northside. As an aside, Matt, who is originally from Toledo, Ohio, explored a part time job at a local florist while in college. He got the job and has been in the florist business ever since! Matt describes Oliver’s move as a very positive one because it gave them considerably more space, parking, and it is centrally located to their client base. And the central location comes in handy for their free (yes, I said FREE) same-day delivery to Northside, Downtown, and the North Hills.

Oliver’s offers a daily floral special which is intended to bring people into the shop. And that is exactly how I first met Matt and became acquainted with Oliver’s on the Northside. While driving home from grocery shopping on a gorgeous summer day, I spotted containers of long-stemmed bright yellow sunflowers lining the parking lot outside of Oliver’s — along with the daily special sign. I could not pull into their parking lot fast enough to snatch several of those floral beauties to add an extra boost of cheer to my (and my neighbor’s) day. As I entered the store to pay for the sunflowers, Matt greeted me warmly with his pleasant smile and happily wrapped up the flowers. I vowed to return. And that is a promise I have happily kept.

And although it might be the daily special that gets the passersby’s attention, it is the desire for “everyday flowers” for birthdays and holidays that is Oliver’s biggest draw. Contrary to what we may think, it is Mother’s Day (and not Valentine’s Day) that is the busiest time of the year for Oliver’s.

“Everyone has a mother but not everyone has a Valentine,” Matt explained.

Oliver’s also takes great care in preparing a vast array of floral arrangements including those for funerals. To show our love for a cherished parishioner of my church who passed away, I sought out the freshest, best long stem red roses money could buy for her memorial service. And because of the previous positive experiences with Oliver’s, I stopped in and conveyed to Matt what I wanted and the reason why. Matt carefully selected and wrapped the 24 2-foot ruby beauties with fresh greenery and a matching bow. I could not have been more pleased with the bouquet to express our love for this parishioner.

Where do all these lovely flowers come from? Oliver’s purchases their roses from South America, gorgeous tulips from Holland, and other flowers that are “affordably in season” such as peonies and zinnias from local sources. Roses are an “everyday special” because of their popularity and are the most ordered type of flower.

In addition to a wide assortment of flower arrangements, Oliver’s makes available a “Florist Choice Daily Deal.” This is for those customers who are open to total creativity whereby an “original creation” is prepared by one of the florists each day.

Because Oliver’s is open to individual creativity in their floral arrangements, I asked Matt what might be the most unusual request they received. Matt responded that it was a request from a bride to use flowers to create the “fish part” of a wedding mermaid cake. Although they were intrigued with the idea, they eventually declined this request.

And it is not just flower arrangements that Oliver’s sells. They offer a nice selection of floral related gifts for all occasions too. From houseplants, fruit baskets, flameless decorative lanterns, wreaths, and blanket throws etc. — Oliver’s can truly make any occasion special.

Suzon shows off an assortment of floral gifts Oliver’s offers. Photo by Anna Yoder

A feature on Oliver’s would not be complete without mentioning “Ethel,” the black and white cat of owner Rick and Marsha Conley. Ethel is the unofficial spokes-cat for Oliver’s whose face adorns their logo with the caption “Buy Our Flowers.” Ethel is also a “world traveler” who is entering her senior years yet she is not slowing down. According to Matt, Ethel earns her keep by “helping out for the holidays when they are shorthanded” and wishing everyone a “Meowy Christmas!”

Now for the reveal of the connection to “Singin’ in the Rain.” Across the street from Oliver’s original Squirrel Hill location was a small dance studio opened by the family of Gene Kelly. Gene Kelly is the Pittsburgh born actor and dancer who starred in numerous musicals including Singin’ in the Rain. In 1932, the family renamed the studio the Gene Kelly Studio of the Dance where Kelly served as a dance teacher during his undergraduate and law-student years at Pitt. A mirror that graced the dance studio was given by Gene Kelly’s mother to Oliver, to hang in his shop! It remained hanging in Oliver’s Flower Shop until the shop’s relocation to the Northside.

Although you will no longer see that famous mirror hanging in Oliver’s Flower Shop, you most assuredly will receive the same wonderful customer service and high-quality flower arrangements from their Northside location as Oliver’s has been offering since 1929.

Oliver’s Flower Shop is located at 608 Foreland Ave. and can be reached at (412) 421-0350.