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The Seahorse was established in 1952 and is one of the oldest businesses in Franklin County still operating under its original name. Originally opened as the Seahorse Gift Shop, the business was located in the same building that it currently occupies today.

The Seahorse was established in 1952 by Julia Crooms Gibbs. She chose the name based on the wallpaper motif of seahorses that decorated the inside of the building. The business was then sold (year unknown) to Mary Melvin.

In 1964, the business was acquired by Delores Roux (present owner of Delores’s Sweet Shop). Under the guidance of Delores, the floral aspect of the business was first introduced and the name was changed to Seahorse Gift & Florist.

In 1977 Delores sold the business to Jane Pettaway and she moved the business to Highway 98 and 12th across from Chapman High School. Sometime later, Margaret Ann Stokes became Jane’s partner and the business continued to flourish. When Jane decided to retire, she sold her interest in the business to Mary Ann Sipperell and the Seahorse was moved back to the Market Street location where it still stands today.

After approximately 14 years, Ann and Frank Page purchased the business sometime in 1994. They added a 2nd floor to the building to construct an apartment above the store.

In 1997, John and Ouida Sack became the new owners. Under the guidance and leadership of “Aunt Ouida,” the Seahorse continued turning out quality work with outstanding service. Aunt Ouida added the Christmas Shop to the mix and a fine Jewelry selection, John added hand-made crafts and Adirondack chairs that are famous to the area.

In February of 2006, Sammy & Beverly Thompson and their son, Sam purchased the business. Under the leadership of the Thompson Team, Seahorse continues to grow and expand with additions of new product lines such as Yankee Candle, San Francisco Music Box Company, Lee Middleton Doll, Sorrelli Jewelry and now Melissa & Doug, our new children’s toy line.

Although the Seahorse, is a full-service florist, our motto – “More Than Just A Florist” – becomes apparent immediately upon entering the store. Each customer is always expanded a personal greeting from our staff and is free to browse amongst a varied array of unusual gifts. As with our floral products, the customer is exposed to quality merchandise at an affordable price.

Looking at the list of owners, it is obvious that the Seahorse has a continual list of very talented people. Each owner in turn gave of their talents and all left a growing legacy which has enabled the name Seahorse to become synonymous with quality and service. The longevity of the Seahorse as a business is the true measure of this.

With tourism and seafood being the major industries in Franklin County, the success of Seahorse has been directly related to the support of our local community. We are proud to represent Franklin County and our surrounding areas and look forward to serving you. When your in town, stop in and say hello. Our day and yours, will be the better for it.