In 1871, Charles Thorley opened his first flower shop on West Street. Over the next few years, he moved his shop several times, finally settling on the former home of Caroline S. Harper on Fifth Avenue at 46th Street. For the next 40 years, the House of Flowers at 562 Fifth Avenue — and its adjoining sister building at 1 West 46th Street — delighted the thousands who passed by each day.
"Charles Thorley's House of Flowers at 46th street and Fifth avenue is always filled with dwarf red celosias, ferns, aspidistras and other foliage plants. The 46th street side was lined with bay trees and smaller pyramid box. On each side of the vestibuled doorway, iron pots, suspended from tripods, were filled with rubbers and other foliage. The windows were elaborate with vases of chrysanthemums and the choicest foliage stock—-pandanuses, crotons and palms, while from the top were suspended large baskets of Scottii ferns. The whole effect was stunning and bound to arrest the attention of the thousands that pass by every hour." — "The American florist: A weekly journal for the trade" (1916)
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The New Yorker, June 27, 1931 P. 7 Talk story on the slabs on the third floor of the Times Building that are inscribed "Charles Thorley". They are on the Forty-second side and the Broadway side. Charles Thorley, a young florist leased the property where Times Building now stands, from an Irishman named Dolan for one hundred and twenty-five years for eight thousand a year. On this small plot of ground, he built the Pabst Hotel, which was later torn down, when he rented his leasehold to the Times for $27,500 a year. He stipulated that his name must appear prominently on any building erected on site. When he died in 1923, Mrs. Thorley sold it to the Times, and Mr. Ochs kept his name still there.
"Charles Thorley's House of Flowers at 46th street and Fifth avenue is always filled with dwarf red celosias, ferns, aspidistras and other foliage plants. The 46th street side was lined with bay trees and smaller pyramid box. On each side of the vestibuled doorway, iron pots, suspended from tripods, were filled with rubbers and other foliage. The windows were elaborate with vases of chrysanthemums and the choicest foliage stock—-pandanuses, crotons and palms, while from the top were suspended large baskets of Scottii ferns. The whole effect was stunning and bound to arrest the attention of the thousands that pass by every hour." — "The American florist: A weekly journal for the trade" (1916)
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The New Yorker, June 27, 1931 P. 7 Talk story on the slabs on the third floor of the Times Building that are inscribed "Charles Thorley". They are on the Forty-second side and the Broadway side. Charles Thorley, a young florist leased the property where Times Building now stands, from an Irishman named Dolan for one hundred and twenty-five years for eight thousand a year. On this small plot of ground, he built the Pabst Hotel, which was later torn down, when he rented his leasehold to the Times for $27,500 a year. He stipulated that his name must appear prominently on any building erected on site. When he died in 1923, Mrs. Thorley sold it to the Times, and Mr. Ochs kept his name still there.
In 1871, Charles Thorley opened his first flower shop on West Street. Over the next few years, he moved his shop several times, finally settling on the former home of Caroline S. Harper on Fifth Avenue at 46th Street. For the next 40 years, the House of Flowers at 562 Fifth Avenue — and its adjoining sister building at 1 West 46th Street — delighted the thousands who passed by each day.
"Charles Thorley's House of Flowers at 46th street and Fifth avenue is always filled with dwarf red celosias, ferns, aspidistras and other foliage plants. The 46th street side was lined with bay trees and smaller pyramid box. On each side of the vestibuled doorway, iron pots, suspended from tripods, were filled with rubbers and other foliage. The windows were elaborate with vases of chrysanthemums and the choicest foliage stock—-pandanuses, crotons and palms, while from the top were suspended large baskets of Scottii ferns. The whole effect was stunning and bound to arrest the attention of the thousands that pass by every hour." — "The American florist: A weekly journal for the trade" (1916)
***************************
The New Yorker, June 27, 1931 P. 7 Talk story on the slabs on the third floor of the Times Building that are inscribed "Charles Thorley". They are on the Forty-second side and the Broadway side. Charles Thorley, a young florist leased the property where Times Building now stands, from an Irishman named Dolan for one hundred and twenty-five years for eight thousand a year. On this small plot of ground, he built the Pabst Hotel, which was later torn down, when he rented his leasehold to the Times for $27,500 a year. He stipulated that his name must appear prominently on any building erected on site. When he died in 1923, Mrs. Thorley sold it to the Times, and Mr. Ochs kept his name still there.
"Charles Thorley's House of Flowers at 46th street and Fifth avenue is always filled with dwarf red celosias, ferns, aspidistras and other foliage plants. The 46th street side was lined with bay trees and smaller pyramid box. On each side of the vestibuled doorway, iron pots, suspended from tripods, were filled with rubbers and other foliage. The windows were elaborate with vases of chrysanthemums and the choicest foliage stock—-pandanuses, crotons and palms, while from the top were suspended large baskets of Scottii ferns. The whole effect was stunning and bound to arrest the attention of the thousands that pass by every hour." — "The American florist: A weekly journal for the trade" (1916)
***************************
The New Yorker, June 27, 1931 P. 7 Talk story on the slabs on the third floor of the Times Building that are inscribed "Charles Thorley". They are on the Forty-second side and the Broadway side. Charles Thorley, a young florist leased the property where Times Building now stands, from an Irishman named Dolan for one hundred and twenty-five years for eight thousand a year. On this small plot of ground, he built the Pabst Hotel, which was later torn down, when he rented his leasehold to the Times for $27,500 a year. He stipulated that his name must appear prominently on any building erected on site. When he died in 1923, Mrs. Thorley sold it to the Times, and Mr. Ochs kept his name still there.
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