Our Story

Graf Growers is celebrating over 38 years with a new addition to the family – Gladys the flower truck!

While our roots lie in our rich agricultural heritage, our business continues to evolve. Our newest addition is a mobile flower truck that takes our Akron grown flowers and plants to local festivals, fleas and community events. Because of our dedication to bring nature’s beauty and happiness through flowers to people everywhere in our community, our story is expanding with our mobile flower truck!

But where did the story begin?  

The history of Graf’s can be traced back to 1910 when Ernest Graf Sr. left the South Akron tile plant and moved his family to St. Michael’s Avenue in west Akron. A Swiss immigrant with a strong background in farming, Ernest provided for his family and introduced his four sons to farming. His son Rudy kept agriculture in the family. In 1932, Rudy purchased a small farm, also on St. Michael’s Avenue, with his wife Bethi. Rudy and Bethi’s first son, John, had a large hand in running that farm and in 1962 – with his wife Janice – began farming full-time on land rented on St. Michael’s Avenue. In 1963, they added rented land on White Pond Drive.

The reputation that John cultivated grew, just like his crops. As a truck farmer, he sold his produce at various farmers markets, wholesale markets and groceries. However, in the late 60’s and early 70’s the rise of large supermarkets caused many small markets out of business or into hardship. When the owner of most of the land they farmed, decided he wanted to retire, John and Janice grasped the opportunity to expand their farming operation to include a market to sell vegetables in and a greenhouse business to develop. The Graf Greenhouse and Garden Center emerged.

TToday we – Lisa, Scott, and Craig Graf – operate the business with our niece, Karlie. We are the last of over 100 descendants of Ernest Graf Sr. to still make our living off this wonderful land.

Our roots continue to lie in our rich agricultural heritage, though the business constantly changes. One of these changes is the addition of our mobile flower truck, that we hope will bring joy to you, our community, wherever you are!

Our Flower Farm

At the back of our property, you’ll find two high tunnels that stand out among our flat fields. For over 30 years, we harvested sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers and more from our muck farm. But due to the creek that runs through our property that now floods every time it rains, we had to make a change.

We are taking back our flood ridden fields and making lemonade out of a lemon-filled scenario. In and around the high tunnels are where we grow our sustainable cut flowers. From lisianthus to snapdragons, dahlias to sunflowers, and everything in between, we grow all your old favorites and a few new ones too.

What are high tunnels, you ask?

They are greenhouse-like structures that extend our growing season! In a greenhouse, you plant in a container of some kind and there are furnaces that regulate the temperature inside. In unheated high tunnels, you plant directly into the ground.

The sun and the tunnel’s protective structure warms the air inside the high tunnel and helps the plants take off quickly. The sides of our high tunnels can be raised when the weather warms up!

By growing our own flowers, we are able to offer you exceptional, handcrafted flowers that are freshly harvested. From our fields to our truck to your home, we skip the shipping and put the freshest flowers possible in your hands.

We’d love to get our flowers into your vase. Visit our Upcoming Event Page to see where our truck will be next or stop into our market and pick up flowers at your convenience.