Rothe Florists & Flower Delivery

Founded in 1908 and still trading from the same Mt. Airy corner, Rothe is the fourth generation of one family behind the counter. That longevity is the practical point, not the romance: this is the shop Northwest Philadelphia calls when a funeral tribute, a Bat Mitzvah or a wedding has to be right the first time, and it has an actual greenhouse attached rather than a photo of one.

What people come here for

Rothe describes itself first as a shop for milestones. Weddings and celebrations are one pillar; Bar and Bat Mitzvahs are named explicitly, which reflects the neighborhood it has served for a century as much as the flowers themselves. Funeral tributes are the other named specialty — a century in one place means the local funeral homes and congregations know the shop and the shop knows their schedules.

Underneath the milestones sits ordinary business: birthdays, anniversaries, get-well flowers, corporate standing orders and gifts for people who prefer a living plant to cut stems. The greenhouse changes the calculus for that last group — a flowering plant, a potted green, potting soil and plant food can all leave in the same bag.

Delivery and urgency

Same-day delivery is offered with a firm morning gate: orders need to be in before 11 am Eastern to be assured of going out that day. After that, the shop says an order may move to the next day depending on when it landed and where it has to go — which is honest, and worth planning around if the occasion is fixed.

The delivery footprint is unusually wide for a neighborhood florist: the entire City of Philadelphia plus most of the surrounding suburbs, with dedicated coverage running out through Abington and into Chester County. Pickup at the shop is welcome, and the family invites people to browse the gift shop and greenhouse rather than just collect and leave.

What stands out

• 1908, one address. Four generations of the Rothe family in the same Mt. Airy location, originally trading as a florist and grower.
• A real greenhouse. Flowering and green plants on site, not a rack of imports parked by the door.
• Garden aisle. Plant food, potting soil and garden gifts sit alongside the floral counter.
• Milestone work. Funeral tributes, weddings and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs are the named specialties.
• City-wide reach. All of Philadelphia and most nearby suburbs, well past the Northwest.
• A morning deadline you can plan on. Before 11 am means today; the shop says so plainly instead of promising everything.

Where the flowers come from

Rothe grew out of a florist-and-grower business, and the surviving piece of that is the greenhouse: the plants sold there are grown and held on site rather than bought in for the day. For cut flowers the shop does not publish a supplier list or auction routine, so the greenhouse is the verifiable part of the story and the rest is a normal wholesale supply.

The space, the service and what else is sold

The layout is two businesses in one visit — a floral gift shop and a greenhouse you can walk through. That makes it a browsing stop rather than a grab-and-go counter, and the family says as much: come in, look around, ask. Beyond arrangements the shelves carry gift baskets, plants for the house and the garden aisle staples, so a housewarming or a thank-you does not have to be cut flowers at all. Wedding and event work runs as a consultation rather than an over-the-counter order.

When to come and how to get there

The shop sits on the historic commercial spine of Mt. Airy, just downhill from Chestnut Hill, in the stretch of Northwest Philadelphia where the cobbles, the SEPTA regional rail stations and the Victorian twins define the whole neighborhood. Regional rail from Center City is the easy approach without a car; the surrounding blocks are residential and walkable.

Seasonally, the greenhouse makes spring the busiest counter-traffic time of the year, while the floral side spikes for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and the December holidays. Wedding season runs late spring through fall, and that side is booked well ahead rather than same-week.

Questions and answers

Can I get same-day delivery?

Yes, if the order is placed before 11 am Eastern. Later orders may go the following day depending on the destination and the time they arrive.

How far do they deliver?

Across the whole City of Philadelphia and most surrounding suburbs, with routes reaching Abington and into Chester County.

Is this a real shop I can walk into?

Yes — a retail flower shop with an attached greenhouse at the same Mt. Airy address it has occupied since 1908, and the family actively invites walk-ins to browse.

Do they sell plants as well as bouquets?

Yes, and this is the shop’s edge: the greenhouse holds a wide range of flowering and green plants, plus potting soil, plant food and garden gifts.

Do they do weddings?

Yes, weddings and celebrations are a named specialty, alongside Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Plan on a consultation rather than a walk-in order.

What about funeral flowers?

Funeral tributes are one of the shop’s stated specialties, and a century in one neighborhood means it works with the local funeral homes routinely.

How far ahead should I order for a holiday?

For Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and the December holidays, order several days out. The 11 am same-day gate still applies, but peak weeks compress what is available at the last minute.

Can I order online and collect in person?

Yes, the shop takes online orders and local pickup, and encourages people to come through the gift shop and greenhouse while they are there.

Opening hours