This time of year, Kris Olsen and his sister, Andrea Hanulec, are usually going full speed at Homeside Florist & Greenhouses in Riverhead, gearing up for Easter and Mother’s Day.
But this winter was a little different. The landmark garden center shut its doors Dec. 31.
The Olsen family has owned the business since 1954, adding a new retail center and greenhouses along the way.
This would have marked their 65th year in business.
Mr. Olsen, 61, cited rising overhead costs, such as heating the greenhouses, as a reason for shutting their doors. “This was my dad’s dream,” he said. “But times are changing.”
He isn’t going to retire just yet, however. Mr. Olsen spoke excitedly about starting a new job as a grower at Kurt Weiss Greenhouses in Center Moriches, which was ranked fourth on a list of the top 100 greenhouse growers nationwide in 2017.