Pearsons Florist - Our History
The Pollak Family are romantics at heart and have been in the business of expressing Sydney’s emotions for the last 41 years.
Fred and Claire Pollak moved to Australia and opened a small tailor shop in the late 1950’s. Raising a young family they were kept busy! Fred was once a tailor to former Prime Minister Sir William (Billy) McMahon. Then in a dramatic change of direction, he bought Pearsons Florist in 1969, running the business with his wife Claire and settling their four children and dog in the rooms above the store.
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The wedding of Fred and Claire Pollak (1949)
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Fred and Claire Pollak outside the original Pearsons Florist (1969)
They opened for business just three days before Mothers Day 1969; “We were really thrown in the deep end” recalls Fred. Business flourished, and the store quickly became a feature of the Bondi Junction commercial area.
Bernard Pollak (1970's)
Forty-one years later and Pearsons now have 8 retail stores across Sydney as well as a successful website and the award-winning Pearsons School of Floristry. Now run by Directors Bernard and Barbara Pollak (son and daughter of Fred and Claire) and over 50 staff members the family business is blooming. Fred and Claire may have retired from the day to day running of the business but they are still involved and provide plenty of inspiration to family and staff members alike.
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Bernard, Barbara, Fred and Claire Pollak (1990)
The company is proud to have contributed to many of Sydney’s special occasions including weddings, funerals, engagements and birthdays. A key factor in Pearsons Florist success is the very involved hands-on role of the Pollak Family. The whole quality chain, from choosing flowers from the markets and arranging them for customers, to delivering them has been controlled to ensure the end result is perfect.
One of the most exciting moments of the past 41 years has been the opening of the Pearsons School of Floristry. As the florist grew in reputation, members of the public began requesting courses in floristry design and presentation. Pearsons decided to offer courses in professional floristry skills in 1997 and over the following years, the range of courses offered by the school has expanded greatly. PSF now offer a variety of courses at both their Darlinghurst and Stanmore locations.