IXIA, The Castro's Unusual Flower Shop, Is For Sale

IXIA, The Castro's Unusual Flower Shop, Is For SaleGary Weiss. (Photos: Alisa Scerrato/Hoodline)
Alisa Scerrato
Published on March 10, 2016

IXIA, the Castro' s unusual flower shop, is for sale after over 32 of business. 

Owner Gary Weiss says that his decision to sell the shop is bittersweet. After traveling around the world, he moved to the Bay Area in 1971, and has been in the flower business in the Bay Area for 41 years. His business began with a stand near Stonestown, and he moved his shop to Market Street, between Castro and Noe, in 1983.

He hopes to sell the business as-is, and wants to keep the artistic element of the business alive.  "Fortunately or unfortunately , I've always been more interested in providing uniqueness and artistry than in making lots of money," said Weiss. "Something will happen; I just don’t know who or when. I’m working with a wonderful agent—Peter Goss at Zephyr—and he’s committed to a positive outcome."


Weiss says that he's retiring from the flower business, but that he plans to keep busy with the several other projects that occupy his time. He leads hikes on Mt. Tam a few times a month, and is also the President of Corbett Heights Neighbors, on the Planning and Land Use Committee of the Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association, and on the board of the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association, co-chairing its Land Use Committee. Weiss said, "I’m also heavily involved in preserving neighborhood parks. Whereas none of these activities pays anything, they are major focuses in my life—especially the hiking."

"I have never had the luxury of being bored," said Weiss. "Who knows, maybe I’ll end up becoming a fireman, or a ballerina! Seriously, I haven’t thought that far ahead."