STRONG FAMILY ROOTS

Sowing the Seeds: The Beginning

Like many young immigrants in the early 1900s, Girolamo (John) Lapide came to America to start a new life. By the 1930s he had a young family and was struggling to make ends meet working as a launderer. Looking to try something new, he partnered up with his brother-in-law, Joseph Fumusa, and opened a produce stand, called F & L Produce, in Brooklyn. When Wallabout Market shut down in 1941, it relocated inland to Canarsie and became the Brooklyn Terminal Market. John’s teenage son, Lawrence (Larry), saw the potential in moving into this new market and having a more permanent selling space. After some convincing, John & Joe decided to take a chance and expand their stand by acquiring vendor space in the newly constructed market.

 

Germination: Growing a Thriving Business

By the late 1960s, Larry (The Big L) was running Lawrence J. Lapide, Inc., the business that would later become what is currently Brooklyn Plantology. The business was doing well and had broadened its product range to include plants, seasonal goods & holiday decor. With his father and uncle looking to slow down and possibly retire, it was time to recruit the next generation. Larry’s sons, John & Patrick, started working alongside their father as teens. While they each went off to college after graduating, they both quickly found their way back to Brooklyn and the family business.  For nearly 30 years Larry, John & Patrick worked together in the Brooklyn location, eventually joined by Patsy & Toni (their mother & sister) making it a true family affair. Over the years the product categories continued to grow, new partnerships were formed and the business had become a community staple. By then the produce aspect of the business had been narrowed to one product, watermelon. Larry had partnered with a watermelon farmer in South Carolina and traveled south in the summers to source the freshest fruit.  

 

Transplanting: Establishing Dragonfly Farms

When Larry passed away in 1997, the family felt a renewed passion to honor their father by continuing to grow the family legacy. After searching for the right property, in 2004 they found the perfect fit in Hamilton, NJ. A refrigerated warehouse was built on the property to serve as a distribution center for the watermelon business, now Melon 1. After some renovations and improvements to the existing garden center, Dragonfly Farms opened for business. Patrick moved to New Jersey to focus on the new property, while John stayed in New York, however, both brothers remained actively involved in both locations.  Dragonfly quickly became a community favorite; a hidden gem that new customers were thrilled to discover. Pat took pride in creating unconventional displays that were fantastical, funky, playful, and sometimes just plain bizarre. This unique merchandising style drew interest and encouraged customers to come in frequently to see the most current showcase. Patrick tragically passed earlier this year, but his memory lives on in the businesses, relationships,  and community he built.

 

Spring Blooms: Embracing New Growth

As Dragonfly comes into its 20th year in 2024, the celebration is bittersweet. While still mourning the loss of Patrick, the spring season required new hands on deck. Enter John’s eldest daughter, Patty. Patty started her career in corporate retail, moving into the non-profit sector focusing on marketing & development as she was starting her family.  She is joined by her ex-husband, Jeff, with whom she ran the Brooklyn location for several years. Jeff has an extensive background in construction & project management and has been instrumental in making many improvements to the store. Both Patty & Jeff are tremendously passionate about building community and supporting other small, local businesses.  If you have been in the store lately, you may also have seen some young "interns" helping out. These are Patty & Jeff's three children, Nate (13), Ben (11), and Autumn (9), who have been enthusiastically working in the store after school and on weekends. This chapter of Dragonfly Farms is still unfolding in real-time, but the excitement for what the future brings is shared by the whole team.