The Greenbrier is known across the country for its vibrant decor, but another staple of the resort is its display of freshly cut flowers.
They’re placed in almost every corner of the building, and yet, many don’t know that they point to a century-long relationship between The Greenbrier and the Gillespie family.
Gillespie Flowers and Productions was created in 1923 by Kenneth Gillespie. The business started inside The Greenbrier as a partnership; however, 20 years later, the resort was turned into a World War II military hospital, and Gillespie found himself buying a stand-alone store on White Sulphur Spring’s Main Street- less than half a mile from the resort’s main entrance.
This is where the business can be found today.
“It started with my grandfather, and then his son, Temp, my father, came along and continued that business- our business- and now it’s our turn, so here we are 100 years later,” shared John Gillespie, President of Gillespie Flowers and Productions.
John Gillespie- alongside his sister, Martha, and brother, Charley- is the third generation to carry on the Gillespie flower business. He says ownership seems to come in 30-year cycles, with his father taking ownership in the 1950s and him and his siblings doing the same in the 80s.
Read more at wvva.com
