Interview with Jon Houghton, Owner
When I walked into Maplehurst to interview Jon last week, it was certainly not my first trip inside the business. One can imagine how tempting it might be to work next door to an ice-cream shop-and I think that I have probably sampled every flavor they offer by now. However, I never knew much about how about Maplehurst Florist and Sam’s Scoop Shop came to be until I got a chance to sit down with Jon.
Maplehurst was founded by Jon’s grandmother Phyllis during World War II as a seasonal greenhouse. The business gradually morphed into a year-round florist and was handed down to Jon’s father Carlton, who later passed it onto his son. About seven years ago, Jon decided to renovate Maplehurst and added Sam’s Scoop Shop (which is named after Jon’s young son) to the front of the building. Jon said that there is a considerable amount of cross-pollination between customers of the scoop shop and the flower shop-although he rarely sells both flowers and ice cream to a customer during the same visit.
Maplehurst has a strong history of giving back and often donates to school and community events. As one reviewer said on Facebook, “Besides the most delicious ice cream, the brownies are homemade (just like grandma made) and the friendly service they also give back to the community in ways that makes them a model for others to follow.”
Maplehurst/Sam’s Scoop Shop is located at 10 Lincoln Street, sharing a parking lot with the Village Offices and Brownell Library. Maplehurst is open year-round, while Sam’s is open for business during the warmer months. More information is available on their Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/SamsScoops/ and https://www.facebook.com/Maplehurst-Florist-116374435064785/.
Why Essex? “Because every vibrant community needs a neighborhood florist.” -Jon Houghton
Why Essex? is a weekly(ish) column highlighting the people and places that make Essex an interesting and special place. Have an idea for the column? E-mail Darby Mayville at darby@essexjunction.org.
Photo Credits: Sam’s Scoop Shop/Maplehurst Florist & Darby Mayville