Soderberg's Floral, a Minneapolis landmark, closes after nearly 100 years

Soderberg's Floral & Gift has abruptly closed, devastating customers and ending nearly 100 years on Lake Street in Minneapolis.

"Sorry!! We are closed. We hope to be back real soon," the company posted on its website this week. A sign in the window said the store was closed until further notice as of Dec. 28.

Thirty workers are now out of a job, and the area that is still recovering from the 2020 riots is missing a business linchpin.

Soderberg's "is a really important stable presence in this community [and has] been a good community supporter. They invested in the neighborhood and provided donations and financial support to organizations like ours," said Allison Sharkey, executive director with the Lake Street Council.

The store is one of three local firms to last 100 years on Lake Street. It's up there only with Ingebretsen's and western-wear retailer Schatzlein Saddle Shop, which closed in fall 2022, Sharkey said.

Customers and community groups noted that Soderberg's buoyed Minneapolis' Longfellow neighborhood, helped nearby businesses survive the 2020 riots, and long supplied flowers to the Minnesota Twins, the University of Minnesota, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Xcel Center, and the Meet Minneapolis convention bureau.

But after decades as a bustling commercial and retail florist, the sunny yellow building — with all its painted flowers — at 3305 E. Lake St. is now eerily still.

Podcast producer Sheletta Brundidge, whose business orders about $20,000 in flowers each year from Soderberg's, said she was shocked Tuesday when she called to order flowers for an injured friend and was told, "We're closed."

"I was told the owner is an 80-year-old guy. It sounds like his kids have taken power of attorney and they just came in and closed the whole shop down. No notice to anybody," she said. "They employ [dozens] there between all the florists, drivers and people at the desk," and everyone was taken by surprise.

Brundidge, who said she hopes to hire a couple of Soderberg's workers, said she is disappointed the business closed. Their floral arrangements were "really well done," she said, noting that Soderberg's often gave back, donating flowers to community events such as Black Entrepreneurs Day at the State Capitol.

Store managers declined to comment. Family members of the owner — Howard O'Neill, who ran businesses in St. Cloud for several years — could not be reached for comment. Officials with the Lighthouse Management Group that is newly handling affairs for Soderberg's did not return calls for comment in time for this article.

Harry Soderberg opened his flower shop at 2707 E. Lake St. in 1925 and moved it to the present location in 1932. Harry and his wife, Mildred, ran the business until 1976, when they sold it to employees Lyle and Carol Blair. The Blairs ran it for 29 years.

Neighboring businesses noted that Soderberg's was impacted by riots that followed the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Looters shattered windows of the shop and set fire to neighboring businesses.

Owners and employees from Precision Tune, Sonora Grill, Soderberg's and Walgreens said they banded together, hired extra security and worked with residents, all taking turns to guard their street.

But the 2020 vandals won out. They burned down the Walgreens store one block away. Soderberg's survived, but business slowed as retail customers shied away from the area and the pandemic cancelled most events for 18 months.

Other customers and neighboring businesses said they hope a new owner can be found so the deeply established business can survive.

"I am curious to see what will happen now and really hope they can reopen," Sharkey said.

Sonora Grill owner Conrado Badilla said he's also hoping they can find a new owner. He noted that his lunchtime business is brisk and that the Lake Street economy is improving.

"I heard yesterday," Badilla said. "They are amazing. They give us business. We give them business. This is a neighborhood deal."