Flower grower celebrates a century of business

After a century in the business of planting beauty and joy, Schaefer Greenhouses isn’t closing the book. Rather, the owners of the longtime staple in the Fox Valley say they are writing the next chapters under the glass. With the calendar flipped to 2026, Schaefer’s Greenhouse is preparing to mark its 100th year in business.

By any estimate, the achievement is rare. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only about 12% of American businesses endure beyond their 25th anniversary. By some counts, only about 1,000 businesses — or 0.5% of American shops — reach their centennials.

“It’s really incredible,” said Billy Murdoch, vice president of operations at Schaefer Greenhouses. Today, Schaefer’s serves as a go-to, year-round destination for flowers, houseplants and just about anything people in the Fox Valley need to make their gardens grow.

According to information provided by Schaefer Greenhouses, the greenhouses took root in Montgomery in 1926, building the first enclosed growing structures there after relocating from the west side of Aurora. There, the company had operated for about two decades under founders Frank C. Schaefer and John K. Newhall under the name Aurora Greenhouse Company. The company started in Montgomery with three greenhouses. Within four years, the company added four more. Before the decade was out, Schaefer had bought out his partner and renamed the business Schaefer Greenhouses.