HarlemLIVE

Best friends Louis Gagliano and Stefan Handi opened Harlem Flo on 2292 Frederick Douglass Blvd., in the heart of Harlem, 3 years ago. When I walked into the shop for the first time, I was taken away by the flower decor. Everything from orchids to single roses were arranged in numerous ways, reminiscent of exotic jungles in the Amazon.  Gagliano's passion for flowers showed as he arranged and sprayed a bouquet of beautiful white flowers.  Gagliano grew up in Austria, where he discovered his passion for floral arrangement. Upon moving to New York, he worked for high-end flower shops all over the city. He eventually decided to start his own business. “The ‘pro’ of having my own business is that I work for myself. The ‘con:’ flowers are not a luxury.” Flo offers different arrangements from dramatic to modern day styles and do all types of events from weddings to birthday parties. The flowers are from numerous parts of the world, ranging from Asia to South America. The owners have mostly done work for local celebrities, parties, and events. But not all of their work is dramatic; most people just come in for simple bouquets for their homes. Flo’s busiest days are Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, which makes sense: roses for your sweetheart and flowers for your beloved mother. In all, Gagliano thinks the shop is doing great and running his own business has been a plus. “I’m just glad to be a part of the neighborhood."