Too Big To Be A Pike Place Merchant? -- Flower-Shop Sale Sparks Outcry, Appeal To City

When James Harvey bought Pike Place Flowers last month, some Market merchants feared the next shoes to drop might belong to Col. Sanders or Fred Meyer.

The Pike Place Market Merchants Association and Gary Franco, a flower vendor, have appealed the sale of the Market's gateway flower shop, telling a hearing examiner that Harvey is a bigger businessman than Market guidelines allow.

Harvey, who owns a wholesale flower business and two other shops, has been operating the Pike Place shop for a month, selling bargain red roses ($10.99 a dozen), other cut flowers and potted plants. He bought the business, at First Avenue and Pike Place, from Drake Salladay, a popular Market fixture for the past 20 years who's been forced to retire because of deteriorating health related to AIDS.

The sale was approved by the landlord, the Market's Public Development Authority. The Market Historical Commission gave a final OK on Jan. 12, after a rambunctious meeting.

The commissioners were divided over whether Harvey meets the guidelines limiting Market space to independent shopkeepers operating start-up businesses. The vote was four in favor of the sale, three against, with two abstentions.

Some Market-area businesses with private landlords have sold to giants: Molbak's owns the Garden Center, and Dilettante Chocolates has an outlet.

Harvey says he's hardly the flower mogul other vendors make him out to be.

He owns Cut Flowers Inc., a wholesale business that owns small shops in Georgetown and Fremont. He's promised to run Pike Place Flowers himself and hire managers for the other shops.

Seattle Hearing Examiner Guy Fletcher expects to hear final testimony next week and make a decision sometime in March.