Meet Ray Vorisek, Owner of Heights Florist Shoppe

Welcome back to Down the Boulevard, a feature on Hasbrouck Heights Patch where we ask the business owners in our town a few questions about their business and themselves. This week get to know Bob and Ginny Spindler.

Not everyone can easily find an outlet for all one’s interest let alone have it lead to a lifelong career, but sometimes things don’t always work out the way one plans and instead work out for the best.

owner Ray Vorisek said he didn’t always realize it while growing up but flowers were always present in his life. Originally he planned to be an accountant but instead he has devoted 25 years to his Heights Flower Shoppe and is still going.

During college, where he was studying accounting and art history, while working driving a truck for a floral business, it occurred to him that he had an appreciation for flowers. Flowers aren’t exactly something boys think about but they were always there. He recalled the days of visiting his grandfather’s home as a child where it was a weekly Sunday family activity to help with the annuals. He remembers his grandfather grew so many flowers that he’d send people away with bundles of them wrapped in newspapers.

Later he worked at a relative’s funeral home where he would sometimes take home any leftover flowers he’d find and do his own arrangements.

He said it’s amazing how much he utilizes what he studied in college on a daily basis.  Things like the study of color and design for example are all things he uses today in his displays and arrangements and then some. Also his accounting background helps with the business side of things.

When he set out to open up shop he chose Hasbrouck Heights because it’s a place where a lot of friends call home and he really liked the community and its downtown business district. Vorisek has also been with the Chamber of Commerce for the past 25 years and has served as president for the past six.

In addition to the flower shop, Vorisek and crew have just opened the Victorian Tea House right upstairs. The official grand opening was Oct. 1 but each Saturday this month the shop plans to continue the promotion. Vorisek’s mother Mary has been dressing up as “Mrs. Pots” waving to those that pass along the Boulevard inviting them inside to try some tea, cider or donuts upstairs in the teahouse. She is joined by the Voriseks’ longtime friend Phyllis Fass who greets customers with her inviting voice as she sings to passersby.

The Victorian teahouse is now available for private functions such as birthday parties and Vorisek says at some point it will also have regular hours where people can come in for some tea and dessert. For parties the teahouse offers cheeses, teas, scones, finger sandwiches and many different desserts.

Vorisek said everyone that has come in to the Victorian teahouse so far has said they were amazed as they never knew it existed. The layout is the building itself is as real as it was first made in 1880. It has since been restored, Vorisek said. The quaint rooms are elegantly decorated with curtains, mirrors, lamps and of course flowers.

Currently most of décor takes on a Halloween and fall theme and Vorisek says it will be updated as the seasons change.

“There really isn’t anything else like in the Bergen County area,” Vorisek said.