AP Greenery Celebrates Inaugural Anniversary
Growth of Business Prompts Look Toward Search For Studio Space
In a single year AP Greenery is beginning to outgrow its Bangs Avenue storefront.
Owner Zachary Drew Delacruz was joined by a few friends, neighboring venues and City officials for a one year anniversary celebration and official ribbon cutting. The champagne toast event included fare from neighboring business and friend Sweet Dani B couture cookie kitchen and petite party studio.
“We’re just so thankful and can’t wait to see how our community of residents and businesses grow together organically, and to see what happens next,” he said. “I couldn’t have done this anywhere else.”
The Ocean Grove native, who got his start working in local eateries, said he drew the entrepreneurial bug from other local creatives who helped revive the city’s business offerings. You may recognize him for his time spent working at Porta, helping to open Talula’s, Taka, Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten.
“I wanted to own a business in Asbury because of the sense of community,” Delacruz said. “It’s just a sense of always trying to make the town better. I remember living in New York and coming down and saying – I gotta move back; Asbury is going crazy. I am so happy I did and that everything worked out.”
The AP Greenery opened March 9, 2017. Delacruz’ model has been locally driven, meaning they concentrate on serving the needs of local venues and events, with delivery often being done gratis by foot in and around town.
“I was thinking, what does Asbury Park need that we don’t have,” he said of deciding on a plant and floral shop. We have tons of regulars now and I’m finding what they like, don’t like, and what’s easy for them. I curate the store to our regulars and to our business accounts in town.”
Delacruz specializes in fulfilling custom orders for a range of clientele, which includes residents, restaurants and other businesses, as well as floral arrangements for weddings and other local events. They are known for exotic house plants and rare find bouquets.
“I’m so grateful,” he said. “Everyday we have been getting busier and busier. I think it’s because we have a unique product and brand. We don’t carry grocery store flowers, if that makes sense.”
Delacruz says he has no regrets in terms of reflecting back on the past year.
“I’m already thinking of what’s next,” he said. “I’m already outgrowing this space. I think I may need to open up a second location or studio to do the events and wedding [distribution] and keep this for walkin customers.”
AP Greenery is located at 719 Bangs Ave. Their hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Sundays. For more information, call 732-233-7222, or visit the website and Facebook and Instagram pages.
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