Burkitt’s Flowers: Celebrating 80 years in business
After 80 years and three generations Burkitts Flowers in Prince Albert continues to provide Prince Albert residents with not only lovely floral arrangements but also great customer service.
The family tradition of Burkitt’s Flowers began in 1936 when Fred Burkitt purchased what was then known as Saskatchewan Greenhouses. Back then the flower shop was an assortment of greenhouses growing various flowers that were in season including mums, azaleas and cyclamen, poinsettias at Christmas and Easter lilies at Easter. During that time bundles of flower arrangements were also kept in the basement of the Burkitt’s family home before they opened their first florist shop in Prince Albert’s downtown.
“My dad worked hours and hours to build the business up,” said Burkitt’s daughter and former owner Kay Griffin. “He worked seven days a week to do what he could to get the business going, doing lots of bedding plants and that kind of thing, way back then, so people had something for their gardens.”
Kay who took over ownership of the shop from her father in the 70’s before also retiring said the business has undergone a number of changes since its inception including the destruction of the greenhouses in 1975.