Ocean City Flower Shop to Close After 53 Years in Business

Mark Videtto originally planned to become a lawyer, but found a much rosier career instead.

More than 50 years ago, he opened a flower shop with his now-deceased business partner, Warren Grubb. All these years later, the 76-year-old Videtto is still a florist.

But he is finally retiring from the flower business after spending many long work hours and myriad holidays as the owner of Spinning Wheel Florist in downtown Ocean City since 1972.

“I’ve decided that I want to go out and smell the roses,” he joked of his retirement.

The last day for retail customers to buy flowers at Spinning Wheel will be Sunday, March 1. Afterward, Videtto plans to sell off his remaining inventory to other flower businesses through March 14.

In an interview Tuesday, Videtto recalled the long hours that he put in at the flower shop over the last 53 years – six days a week and half days on Sundays – but emphasized that it was always a joy serving his customers.

“It has been the best thing of my life. I have felt that I never really worked a day in my life. I love flowers, and I love making people happy,” he said.

    Spinning Wheel Florist has been a fixture on Asbury Avenue in downtown Ocean City for 53 years.
  

Spinning Wheel Florist is located at 858 Asbury Ave., near the corner of Ninth Street and directly across from City Hall in the heart of downtown. It is one of the oldest businesses in the downtown. Equally important as its long history is the fact that it is currently Ocean City’s only florist shop.

“I have been everybody’s Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and Saint Valentine’s. When everybody is enjoying the holidays, we’re working,” he said of some of the flower shop’s busiest times.

Videtto is unsure whether another flower shop will come to Ocean City. He has sold the building that houses Spinning Wheel to local builder John Zoll for an undisclosed price. Zoll plans to redevelop the site for a retail shop on the first floor and residential units on the top level, Videtto said.

Years ago, while attending James Madison University in Virginia, Videtto originally had aspirations of becoming an attorney. But instead, he teamed up with Warren Grubb to buy the building that previously housed another flower shop, called the Wagon Wheel II.

Not wanting to ditch the original Wagon Wheel name entirely, Videtto and Grubb decided to call the flower shop the Spinning Wheel. The name was inspired by an antique spinning wheel that Grubb had at his home and then was placed in the window of the flower shop. Videtto said he has no idea what eventually became of the old spinning wheel.

    Mark Videtto prepares a bouquet of flowers for his customers.
  

Now, Videtto’s partner at the shop is his wife of 51 years, Linda. With the store about to close, Linda is also looking forward to retirement and spending more time with their family, including their three sons and their grandchildren.

“We need some down time. People say it’s wonderful. We’ll see,” Linda said of retirement.

Mark Videtto said his retirement is motivated by his desire to devote more time to his wife and family – and to do some traveling. Still, he acknowledged that there is some sadness over closing the business and saying goodbye to his customers.

“A lot of people think that I work too hard. They think that I’m crazy to work all the hours that I work. But a lot of people are sorry that we’re closing. I guess for 53 years, I was thinking of everybody else. But now, I have to think about my wife, my sons and my grandchildren,” he said.

    The sign in the front window tells of the flower shop's "final closing sale."