One of midtown Sacramento’s oldest businesses, Relles Florist, is presently celebrating a special anniversary, as the longtime popular florist recently reached its 65th year in business.

ALL IN THE FAMILY. Jim Relles and his sister, JoAnn (Relles) Bradley, stand in front of midtown Sacramento’s Relles Florist. The business is celebrating its 65th year in business. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Jim Relles, who has been a proprietor of the florist since 1972 and has maintained sole ownership of the business since 2008, said that such a celebration was made possible through a commitment to customer satisfaction that began with his father Ross Relles, Sr.’s founding of the business on Oct. 19, 1946.

“It’s a pretty distinct celebration – 65 years in business,” Jim said. “(Customer service) hasn’t changed since my father started the business. It’s just listening to the customers’ needs and working real hard to get what they want with quality product in a timely manner of their order, and not promising things that we can’t do and promising things that we can do. Customer satisfaction is following through on promises you made to the consumer. You need to follow through and do it and be honest with the consumer. If you can’t do something, then you need to tell them up front or offer alternatives.”

Jim added that like many businesses, Relles Florist, which has been voted “Best Florist” by Sacramento Magazine for the past 11 consecutive years, has survived through its willingness to adapt to changes.

One of the major changes, Jim explained, has been the growing importance of the Internet.

“Ten years ago, we didn’t have a Web site and we didn’t sell over the Internet and now probably 30 or 40 percent of our business is over the Internet, where 10 years ago it was zero (percent),” Jim said. “We now have a Web site, a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Most of the younger generation is doing all their business from their smartphones, so we’re in the process of getting a floral app (application). If you want to stay in business, you just have to keep adapting.”

Roots of the Relles family’s florist

During his meeting with the East Sacramento News last week, Jim, who is a cousin of Marty Relles, who authors the series, “Janey Way Memories,” in this publication, shared information about his father’s beginnings as a florist.

RELLES FLORIST was originally located in this building at 2220 J St. The business first served customers at this site on Oct. 19, 1946. / Photo courtesy, Relles Florist

“My dad, growing up, worked for (G. Rossi and Co. florist at 1026 8th St.),” Jim said. “He also worked for Hires (Bottling Co.). They were down on 21st and R (streets). It was the prelude to Norcal (Distributing Co. at 424 17th St.). He (later) went to Arizona State (Teachers College, as Arizona State University was then known) and got his teaching degree, but he came back to Sacramento and he just looked at the business side (of teaching) and decided he didn’t want to become a teacher. Then World War II broke out. After he got out of the war, he worked for Senator Florists (at 1014 11th St.) and I guess about a year later – I think he wanted a raise (from Senator Florists) and they said, ‘No,’ – he decided to go out on his own and open up his own flower shop.”

Five locations of Relles Florist

Although Relles Florist operates at two locations – 2400 J St. and 801 Howe Ave., north of Fair Oaks Boulevard – these current business sites are not the only places where a Relles Florist shop has been located.

Ross Relles, Sr., who gathered additional early experience in his field when he worked as a delivery person for McElhaney’s Florist in Phoenix during his time at Arizona State, established his first florist shop at 2220 J St., within the Meril Studio shops, about 15 blocks from the main downtown business district.

The site suited the business well, since it was located on what was then one of the two main streets connecting East Sacramento, Carmichael and Fair Oaks with downtown Sacramento.

THIS 1947 AD was one of Relles Florist’s earliest advertisements. / Photo courtesy, The Lance Armstrong Collection

Jim said that the site was also ideal due to the fact that it was located within a short distance from several funeral homes, including the N.G. Culjis Funeral Home at 2231 J St., Citizens Mortuary at 2301 J St., Miller and Skelton at 1015 20th St., W.F. Gormley and Sons at 2015 Capitol Ave., James R. Garlick Mortuary at 2001 P St., Cippa and Nicoletti at 1501 28th St. and Harry A. Nauman and Son at 2021 28th St.

On July 11, 1953, Ross Relles, Sr. opened his second shop at 2210 J St. in a two-story house, with a raised basement, that he had purchased and remodeled to accommodate as both his business and his home.

Although this relocation proved to be a worthwhile endeavor for the business, Relles Florist eventually outgrew its original space at this site, as it expanded to the structure’s top two floors and basement.

As was the case with its second location, Relles Florist did not have to concern itself with costly moving expenses, as it relocated a very short distance away to its third site at 2320 J St. It was at this site where the first Relles Florist shop to be built from the ground up was constructed.

This shop, which opened on July 26, 1971, proved to be the last Relles Florist site operated by Ross Relles, Sr., as he passed away on Jan. 15, 1972.

Relles Florist, which opened its Howe Avenue shop in February 1978 and its present midtown site on Sept. 26, 1981, has built a reputation as a strong, family-owned business.

Jim said that altogether about 25 Relles family members, including his brothers, Ross, Jr., Tom and Ronald, and his mother, Margaret, have worked at Relles Florist at various times.

In addition to Jim, his sister, JoAnn (Relles) Bradley, works at the midtown shop, where she has continuously assisted with its success since June 1975.

Also quite notable in the business’s history is former Relles Florist employee Al Balshor, who opened Balshor Florist at its original location at 730 O St. in 1950.

Twenty-one years later, another former Relles Florist employee, George L. Procida, opened Procida Florist at its now former location of 1315 J St.

Relles family history

The Relles family’s history in America began with Jim’s grandfather, an Italian immigrant, named Saverio Relles, who arrived at Ellis Island in New York Harbor on Feb. 4, 1907.

WELL ESTABLISHED. Relles Florist has been located in midtown Sacramento for 65 years. The business currently operates a shop at 801 Howe Ave. and another shop at the site shown above at 2400 J St. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Jim said that like many immigrants arriving in the United States during this era, Saverio had his surname changed at Ellis Island, since the person who wrote down his last name at this famous inspection station wrote “Relles,” instead of the correct spelling of “Reres.”

Saverio married Helen Sclafani – born Elena Sclafani – in Chicago Heights, Ill. on June 12, 1910.

Although Saverio died on April 16, 1918, he had three sons – George, Ross, Sr. and Martin – with Helen prior to his passing.

Eighteen months later, while residing in Santa Clara, Calif., Helen was remarried, as she was joined in matrimony with Rosario “Ross” Petta, who was a laborer in the construction industry.

Helen and Rosario, who together had four children, Vito, Alice, Katie and Margaret, were living in the capital city at 523 ½ 14th St. by at least 1922.

And as a result of Helen and Rosario’s move to Sacramento during this time, when Relles Florist celebrates its 75th anniversary in a decade, the Relles family will possibly also be celebrating another anniversary – their 100th year in Sacramento.

EARLIER DAYS. Relles Florist, shown in this 1971 photograph, relocated to this pictured site at 2210 J St. in 1953. / Photo courtesy, Relles Florist

For additional information regarding Relles Florist, call (916) 441-1478 (J Street shop) or (916) 920-4911 (Howe Avenue shop) or visit www.rellesflorist.com.

Tom Hart stands in front of his childhood home on Janey Way in East Sacramento. The house, which is presently being remodeled, is featured through 13 Internet videos. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

For those who either grew up on or near Janey Way or for those familiar with Marty’s column, it should come as no surprise that many people have a very deep-rooted love for this local street.

This fact is even more understandable since the street was constructed more than 60 years ago.

But nonetheless, the great number of stories that derive from Janey Way can seem quite remarkable when considering that the street is a mere 909 feet long and never included more than its current total of 32 houses – three of which are actually duplexes.

Certainly, this article is not intended to replace Marty’s popular column. So, be sure to read his current “Janey Way Memories.”

Instead, this first and only edition of “More Janey Way Memories” is presented solely to tell the story of one more person who grew up on Janey Way and his lifelong love for this East Sacramento street and his current project to preserve a portion of its past.

Tom Hart discusses details of a new addition to his childhood home. / Valley Community Newspapers, Lance Armstrong

This person is Tom Hart, who grew up on Janey Way.

Tom, 57, who follows Marty’s column, is familiar with many of the column’s related stories and people and can sometimes even read about himself, is working on a project that will bring him back to his old neighborhood.

Dust has been flying, machinery has been running off and on and hammers have been pounding at the old Hart house since last July.

This activity, said Tom, who is of Scottish, Irish and English ancestry, is part of a project that will fulfill his dream to move back into his childhood home, where he grew up with his mother Rose (Hawkins) Hart, his sister – the former Susan Hart, now Susan Chevassau – and for a shorter period of time, his father, Bernie, who passed away in 1961.

“When my mother (who passed away in the home on Dec. 19, 2001) was sick and I was staying with her, we would talk in the evenings and one of the things that I told her is I wanted to move back home,” Tom said. “That really warmed her heart and made her feel happy that her son was going to be moving back home and back into the neighborhood.”

Bernie Hart stands behind his boat and car in the driveway of his Janey Way home in about 1951. / Photo courtesy, Tom Hart

The remodeling project includes the addition of about 400 square feet of livable space with the expansion of the living room and master bedroom, a new master bathroom, a new laundry room and the addition of more closet space and a covered porch area behind the house. Additionally, the old garage was demolished and replaced with a two and a half-car garage, the roof and windows were replaced and new insulation was installed throughout the home.

Tom, a 1971 graduate of Sacramento High School, said that although he had hoped to move into the house with his wife Diana by Christmastime, he is now setting a more realistic goal of once again becoming a Janey Way resident by April.

The upgrading of the old Hart house helps to preserve one of the street’s older homes.

Research for this article revealed the following history of Janey Way:

According to the 1949 city directory, the first houses to be built on Janey Way – those of the late 1940s – were the homes of Ross Relles, James Tomassetti, Dante Viani and Jose “Joe” Micheli.

During the time their homes were built, Relles operated his well-known Relles Florist at 2200 J St., Tomassetti was a painter for the Western Pacific Railroad, Viani worked for Koro Products Co. at 2116 19th St. and Micheli was a bartender at the Square Deal Café at 5723 Folsom Blvd., where the Espanol Restaurant is now located.

Bernie Hart enjoys the company of his nephew, Rick Dixon, and his son, Tom Hart, on Christmas day in 1958. / Photo courtesy, Tom Hart

Carmen Tomassetti, who married James Tomassetti on Aug. 14, 1948 and raised five children in her Janey Way home, said that she moved into her then-new house on Dec. 10, 1948.

“My house was built in 1948,” said Carmen, who is a native of Monte Porzio, Italy. “The first houses (on Janey Way) were built in 1948, then little by little different companies built different houses.”

The 1952 city directory shows the growth of the street by this time, as follows: Olin N. Boggs, Joseph C. Brady, Dominic J. Costamagna, Raymond Cullivan, Adelbert C. Jacobs, Richard Kinzel, Jr., Eugene E. McKnight, Jose Micheli, Gene C. O’Keefe, Virgil W. Petrocchi, Mateo Puccetti, Ralph Puccetti, Ross Relles, Joseph C. Romel, Loren E. Sizemore, Eugene R. Thomsen, James Tomassetti, Dante H. Viani, Louie E. Viani and three vacant homes. As an historical note, Janey Way no longer extended south of M Street to include its 1300s addresses by the late 1950s. This property is presently part of the site of St. Mary’s School.

Enzo Costa said that he moved into the neighborhood in 1972 and now lives in the last house that was built on Janey Way. He had the house constructed in 1976.

Neighborhood children gather in front of the Hart house for Tom Hart’s birthday in about 1958. Pictured from left to right are: Berna Tomassetti, Denis Tomassetti, Diana Viani, unidentified, Jennifer “Deedee” DuCray, John DuCray, Tom Hart, John Tomassetti and Josie Tomassetti. / Photo courtesy, Tom Hart

Tom, who with his wife, has three children, Angela, Rebecca and T.J., said that a prime example that his neighborhood is fairly old is the fact that Costa is considered one of Janey Way’s “new kids on the block.”

Costa may have had the last house built in the neighborhood, but as a resident of the street, he has much seniority over a family, for instance, who moved to a house on Janey Way about two years ago.

Fortunately, due to modern technology, most readers who are interested in seeing the old Hart house do not have to go further than their own computers to do so.

In order that Tom’s sister could observe various remodeling stages of the home, Tom has placed footage of these remodeling stages on the Web site www.youtube.com. The short videos, which currently present 13 remodeling stages, can be found using the search words: “Hart Janey Way remodel.”

Tom plans to load seven more videos onto the site to show a full-range summary of the project. He also plans to eventually take the main highlights of all his videos and combine them to create a 15-minute video that he will also post on the Web site.

Tom said that the simple fact that he desires to move back to his childhood house shows how special the home and its neighborhood and residents are in his heart.

“I just have so many fond memories of the place,” Tom said. “I’m coming full circle. My kids have grown and now I have a chance to come back home to be where still many of the neighbors live. Where, when I was smaller, these neighbors would take care of me, now I’m coming back home, so I can take care of them.”

lance@valcomnews.com