Ho Ho Florist

Ho Ho Florist is an old school Chinatown business on the corner of Hester and Elizabeth. By the looks of the business—note the green-painted wooden cornice—things haven't changed here in decades.

The interior is a bit of a shambles, with people leisurely going about their business. The shelves behind the counter are chock full of bottles and products that look like they've been gathering dust for years. Bush plants are everywhere. A lot of bamboo and orange trees.

I have no idea how long this florist has been around, but I'm guessing for some decades. Back in the late 1800s, it was a lodging house run by Raphael Bartman. In the 1910s, it housed a grocery store run by Charles Pergola.

This website says, "Ho Ho Florist is an old school Chinatown business where their shop is their home . They feel comfortable being who they are and hanging out...When you walk into the shop, you feel like you may be interrupting their Mah Jong game. The people here are always playing MJ or cards! The place smells like pleasant mix of cigars and roses."