Jake Fichter remembers vividly the winter of 1936, the year his father's florist was established in Carle Place. The community was still largely undeveloped then, and life was slower-paced. "I was 13 when my father started here," he recalled. "The first Christmas, we sold Christmas trees and wreaths here. We had a 55-gallon drum and a fire in it that we were keeping warm with. There were no houses around here then."

As suburban development changed the face of Carle Place throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Fichter's remained, with its greenhouses and gravel driveway serving as vestiges of the community's rural beginnings. Now, as the Fichters plan to close the family business after 64 years of operation, Carle Place is saying good-bye to a local landmark.

Fichter's Florist, located just north of Westbury Avenue on Glen Cove Road, was established by Jacob Fichter, who is now deceased, in 1936. His sons Jake and Bud, and daughter Yvonne, operated the business together for six decades, with Jake handling the landscaping end of the business, Bud growing the plants in the florist's on-site greenhouses, and Yvonne as the designer and bookkeeper. Bud's wife Barbara has also been a major part of the business since joining as designer over 20 years ago.

Fichter's is one of the last retail flower growers on Long Island, as competition from national retail chains has squeezed "home-grown" florists out of the marketplace. According to Yvonne, the family business grew throughout its years in operation, until the 1990s, when it began to feel the effect of that competition from the national chains. "We increased our business until the 1990s. Then it started to go down because of the competition from the big chains," she said, noting however, that the florist remained a vital local business due to the quality of its products. "We really built our reputation on quality."

Barbara noted that the spacious florist was rare in today's marketplace, as most modern flower shops make their homes in small storefronts. "It's an old-time florist. You don't see this type of florist anymore," she said.

Bud said the decision to close did not come easily, but was spurred by the siblings' need to retire. "Everybody is of age to retire," he said. "Might as well get out while you're still healthy and can enjoy your retirement." Although Jake, Bud, and Yvonne are retiring, Barbara will remain a professional designer and plans to work for a florist shop expected to open soon on Westbury Avenue in Carle Place. Yvonne, in addition to retiring, has sold her Carle Place home of 67 years and is moving to Manchester, Vermont. Bud and Barbara remain at their longtime Carle Place residence, and Jake, in his longtime residence in Woodbury.

The Fichters thanked their customers for their patronage, and said that they make up some of their happiest memories of the business. "We remain very good friends with a lot of the customers," said Yvonne. "It was a joy. I loved my job very much."

Barbara expressed gratitude for the opportunity to design arrangements for generations of local residents.

Asked what his fondest memories are, Bud responded, "I enjoyed waiting on customers and talking to people."

Jake, too, said he always liked his work, and felt fortunate about it. "I enjoyed working," he said.

The property on which the florist lies, which is zoned for residential use, has been sold to developer Bob Preston of Westwood Homes. The developer plans to demolish the shop and greenhouses and build houses on the site. The Fichters plan to close up shop in the beginning of October, and are running a going out of business sale until Oct. 12.

As Fichter's is replaced by new development, it will remain etched in the memories of the local residents to whom it was so familiar. "It's been a landmark for a long, long time," said Barbara. "It's the end of an era."