Serving San Mateo, CA and the Greater Bay Area Since 1933

Founded in 1933 in San Mateo, California and owned and operated by its third generation of Leong family members, Ah Sam is the largest florist and greenhouse operation on the West Coast.
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A Reputation for Creating Breathtaking Flower Arrangements

Our reputation for creating beautiful, exciting designs using only the freshest flowers is one that we have taken great care to nurture. In addition to our own talented team of designers in the Bay Area, we sponsor designers from all over the United States, Europe and Asia to create our arrangements. We also currently sponsor international design staff from Japan, Switzerland and Holland, providing us with a unique blend of contemporary and traditional styles.

Our Flowers and Plants are the Freshest in San Mateo and the San Francisco Bay Area

Our local San Mateo Greenhouses, situated on three spacious acres, are worth a trip to our shop. With 10 greenhouses and over 20,000 square feet of Greenhouse, it's no wonder that we are able to offer the greatest quality of orchids, house plants, exotic plants and dish garden planters - all with an incredible variety of beautiful designs.

Our every day 50% off cut flower special models the farmers market style of selling flowers, but is not limited to just one day a week. We're open every business day, including holidays.

The Bay Area Florist of Choice for Presidents, Royalty and Celebrities alike

From our first beginnings, the principles of hard work, quality flowers and top-notch service created our reputation for excellence, and those same principles continue to make Ah Sam the Bay Area florist of distinction. We have worked hard to grow flowers and plants of only the highest quality, arranged by a local and international staff of hand-picked designers. And we provide professional, courteous Bay area flower delivery - ensuring excellence through the order process.

As a result, our reputation for excellence exceeds far beyond the Bay Area. Ah Sam has been selected to provide floral decorations for Presidents, visiting Royalty and celebrities - we're always the florist of choice when it matters most.

From Humble Beginnings to International Distinction

Our current location, comprised of 75 employees working in and around our 3 acres site in San Mateo California, includes 10 greenhouses, warehouse space, design area, phone and internet sales, delivery operations, administration and on site housing for our guest designers. Our success hasn't happened overnight, it's taken 3 generations of dedication.

San Mateo Florist opens on September 21, 1933.

Not many would have guessed that a family business created in the midst of the Depression with $150 in borrowed capital would blossom into a local phenomenon. The children's father was Sam Shun Leong, a local door to door fruit and vegetable vendor. The shop was named in his honor. The original Ah Sam San Mateo Florist location at El Camino Real and 28th Avenue was out in the country by itself, a woodsy, lightly traveled, two-lane road. The nearest neighbors to Ah Sam were two miles away.

For the Leong children, it was the beginning of a dream. Ah Sam opened for business on September 21, 1933. Their first sale was two bunches of chrysanthemums for 35 cents. Although the business was started by Gordon Leong at the age of 19, the rest of the family was an integral part of the business. Gordon was joined by his sister Mable, 16, brother Lincoln, 13 and youngest brother Howard, aged 12.

The founding family members created our current standards of excellence

Gordon acquired a reputation as one of the most astute flower growers and buyers in the West. He retired in 1983 after 50 years. Mable became the best known florist on the Peninsula and was most noted for her ability to recite the family trees of many local families from memory. Until her death in 1986, Mable planned second and third generation society weddings throughout the Bay Area. Twenty or more weddings a week was not uncommon. Lincoln, the store's vice president, retired in the Bay Area in 1988. Howard, artist and floral designer, and father of the current generation of owners, died unexpectedly in 1980.

Service is and has always been our family signature

Ah Sam has always been about service. In building its business, the family found creative ways to provide beautiful products at reasonable prices - stressing convenience and service. From selling football corsages along El Camino in the 1930's for the Stanford Big Game to personally delivering a blooming azalea tree on Easter Day 550 miles to the South at Rancho Santa Fe. And the family is still at it today. Just as the founding children consisted of three boys and one girl, the third and current generation of the Leong family also has three boys and one girl. Steven, Scott, Shawn Leong and Stacey Hiraoka.

From San Mateo to the entire Bay Area to the world wide web

Our size allows us the greatest variety of fresh flowers and plants in one place. Our expanded delivery department covers over a 40 mile radius from San Mateo. See our delivery page of all the cities served. This allows us to maintain the highest level of quality of any florist in the San Francisco / San Jose Bay Area. Online customers can be treated to designs unique to Ah Sam Florist's local and international design teams. You won't find these original internet arangements any where else in the world. For local delivery, we feature custom designs. National and international orders are taken and the design, payment and message are translated to the appropriate style and custom for the recipient location. This all happens 24/7 excluding some holidays.