Preservation Zebulon July E-Newsletter |  View in browser

July 2020 Newsletter

Three Zebulon Florists Bloomed Over the Years

Dwain Driver, owner and operator of Lovallo Florist, has worked in the business of comforting, uplifting, and supporting people through celebrating life occasions through his floral creations for over 50 years.

At the age of 15, Dwain began working at Middlesex Flower and Art Shop under owner Doris Deans. A year later, at age 16, he opened his own florist in Middlesex in his grandfather’s General Store on Taylors Mill road with the help of his parents Josephine and Glenn Driver.

After his high school graduation, Dwain moved his florist to Zebulon in the Pink Medlin building on the SE corner of Arendell Avenue and East Horton Street. After a while, he closed shop and went to work at Mordecai Florist in Oakwood in Raleigh to obtain more technical training.

In 1980, Dwain left Mordecai Florist to open Lovallo Florist in Wedgewood shopping Center on 530 West Gannon Avenue. Then in 1996, he purchased property from Baird T. and Ava Pearce and built a stand-alone building at 200 East Gannon Avenue. He opened in that location in Spring of 2000, and 20 years later Lovallo’s Florist Interiors and Antiques is still in operation and pleasing local residents.

Lovallo Florist is on the site where Pearce’s Nursery was formerly located. Pearce’s Nursery began in 1972 and was run by Baird and Ava Pearce and their son Tommy Pearce. They purchased the corner lot for Pearce’s Nursery in 1976 or 1978 from Avon Privette. Before 1972, the old metal building standing on that site was an auto repair shop. The house at 306 Popular Street adjacent to Lovallo Florist was built around 1910 and is still owned by Dwain Driver.

Two other florists thrived in Zebulon before Lovallo’s opened.

Center Flower Shop was opened in 1963 on the corner of Arendell Avenue and West Horton Street, at the site where the Horace Mann insurance building is located today. It was owned and operated by Max Paul Williams.

Wakefield Florist – Opened in 1964 in Wakefield on 96 Hwy, which was known at that time as Rt 3, Zebulon. It sat where the Zebulon Animal Hospital is located now. Mary Lee Brantley was the owner of the business. She moved the florist to 120 North Arendell Avenue in 1979. Mary Lee owned the business until her death in 1993. Then her daughter, Lynne Timberlake, took over the business. She closed the business in 2007.

(Written by MaryBeth Carpenter and Marvin Howell. If you have any photos of these florists or their buildings, please send them to us at info@preservationzebulon.org.)

PLEASE ANSWER OUR SURVEY

Your Chapter’s Board of Directors is seeking your input on one question.  While most of us have been sheltering at home, your Preservation Zebulon‘s Board of Directors has explored options for the potential resumption of our events celebrating history and preservation in this area.  We are polling our members and guests to gauge your interest in attending an event in person if it’s held in October.

Meet the Board – Marvin Howell

Marvin Lee Howell has served as Treasurer of PZ for three years. He recently retired after 34 years at Pullen Park, where he was Historic Attractions Manager for Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.

Marvin and Dwain Driver own three historic houses on Sycamore Street, purchased between 1992 and 2001.

Marvin grew up in Lenoir, NC, and he and his siblings have a family farm there, with hogs, cattle and crops of corn, wheat and hay to produce their own feed. Marvin moved to Raleigh in 1985 and moved to Zebulon in 1986.

“Other than what Ms. Edythe Tippett has done in recording history on paper, I don’t think Zebulon has a good true presentation of how Zebulon grew and came into existence. A lot of smaller towns are doing that preserving,” he states.

“I love Zebulon’s small town charm and character. I’m so intrigued by how ornately and well homes were built back then 100 years ago prior to this advanced technology. These older homes were built by hands and brains and they were built with true quality materials to last. I like to see things preserved and to keep the character inside these buildings intact as much as possible.”

BECOME A MEMBER

Preservation Zebulon is a member-based organization. Please renew your membership today. Cost is $40 for individuals, $50 for a family, and $250 for a corporate partner membership. All of our activities are funded by memberships and donations. Please donate or renew your membership today at www.preservationzebulon.org or by mailing a check to the address below. All of Preservation Zebulon’s activities are run by volunteers. Thank you for your support and participation!