Features

Ashby Flowers is here to stay. For another decade at least. The Berkeley flower shop, which has been battling Whole Foods Market since last year over a lease renewal, announced Wednesday afternoon that both parties had signed off on a 10-year lease. 

Whole Foods had planned to convert the family-owned flower shop’s small retail space, located on the grocery store’s Berkeley property at Ashby and Telegraph avenues, into a coffee shop or a juice bar. Public outcry forced it to reverse its decision a week later. 

Stacey Simon, spokesperson for Ashby Flowers, said the shop’s owners were thrilled with the news. She said the lease would not have been possible without community support and help from Councilmember Kriss Worthington. 

Whole Foods company officials could not be reached for comment by press time. 

—Riya Bhattacharjee