Flower power: Bagoy's florist celebrates its 85th Anniversary.

• Author: Morgan, Barbara

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This month, Bagoy's will celebrate 85 years of providing flowers for beauty, for gifts, for romance, for celebration and for sympathy.

Current owners, Chanda Mines, and her husband, Randy, have been managing the store since 1992. Previously, the store was owned by Chanda's parents, Carol and Paul Humphrey, who purchased Bagoy's in 1980.

A family owned business, Bagoy's has been owned by a number of families. The original family started the business in Anchorage in 1922. In fact, the business literally originated in the Bagoy's home.

John Bagoy Sr. and wife, Mary, sold flowers out of their greenhouse in 1922. Soon they started shipping in potting plants from Seattle. In 1940, they joined FTD and began shipping in flowers from Seattle. Their daughter, Mary, and her husband, Otto, became involved in the business after John Bagoy died in 1939.

Mary went to floral school and hired a designer. By 1952, Mary and Otto owned the business. They moved the business out of the home to a business with four full-time and two part-time designers. Because the building was hit by the earthquake, by 1966 the floral shop was built at 6th Avenue and A Street.

The business was sold to Felix Gay and his wife, Jennie, in 1969 because Mary's health was not good. In 1976, the Gays expanded to a second store on Fireweed & C Street. The staff doubled and the present Dimond/New Seward location was built in 1982 as the headquarters.

At one time, Bagoy's also expanded to an Eagle River store, which was later sold.

Currently, Bagoy's has three locations in the Anchorage area: one at Dimond Boulevard, 8250 Homer Drive, with the design team; one downtown on 737 W. 5th Avenue at 5th Avenue and H Street that focuses on gifts; and one midtown, at 440 E. Benson Boulevard, as a home store that features furniture. Many years earlier, the downtown store used to be a Christmas store and sold the majority of artificial tree sales in Anchorage. Due to the popularity of the stores, some customers shop at all three stores.

If you want flowers delivered internationally, Bagoy's is ready to go. Even to Zimbabwe or Mozambique. In fact, because Alaskans have such a diversified population, Bagoy's ranks in the top 1 percent in the country as a sending florist. Their top rank indicates their customers' trust in their quality, service and selection.

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Bagoy's employs 23 people with its seasonal work, part-time workers and one intern.

December is the...