Rehoboth’s Bayberry Flowers under new ownership

Bayberry Flowers in Rehoboth Beach changed hands on the industry’s busiest day of the year – Valentine’s Day.

“It was the worst day,” said a laughing Josh Fredo, the shop’s new owner, during a recent interview. “It was a busy day.”

This is the third time ownership has changed hands in the nearly 25-year history of Bayberry Flowers. The business was founded by James Beauter in 1996. Ernie Sando and Carl Grimm purchased the business in 2003.

Fredo said he and Grimm were longtime associates in the floral industry, with a similar arrangement style. He said he had always wanted a Rehoboth storefront, so he approached Grimm about buying the business when he heard it was for sale.

“Carl and Bayberry have a long-standing name in the Rehoboth area,” said Fredo.

Fredo, who also owns Friendly Flowers and Gifts in Milton, said he’s been in the business for 25 years. He got his start in the industry as a boy, he said, working in a flower garden on land his grandparents tended for a florist.

“My grandparents are the basis of me being here,” said Fredo. “I’m trying to keep their spirit alive.”

Fredo is a certified bridal consultant, with eight years of training, and, because of that, he said, he knows the Latin names for the floral species. That’s how the ordering used to be done, he said.

Fredo said he gets a wide variety of fresh flowers daily from countries all over the world – Canada, Ecuador, Guatemala, Holland and others. The freshness allows for more creativity, he said.

Fredo said Bayberry offers a lot of the supplies a wedding would need to be successful – candle holders, linens, mirrors, floral arches and more. He said he can also do floral form work – the art of attaching flower buds to frames. 

Looking forward, Fredo said he plans to start classes for the community and add greenhouses in Rehoboth and Milton so he can grow his own plants. 

“We want to do a lot of different things, with a lot of different people,” said Fredo.

Bayberry Flowers, 37385 Rehoboth Ave. Ext., is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; and 10 a.m to 3 p.m., Saturday. Fredo said hours will be extended when the summer comes. For more information, call 302-227-5725, email friendlyfflorist@gmail.com or go to www.floristinrehoboth.com.