Artison Flowers and Boutique blends blooms and Greek cuisine in Union Square
UNION SQUARE, Manhattan (WABC) -- Few things are as synonymous with Valentine's Day as flowers. And for the family behind this Union Square storefront, you could say flowers are in their DNA, their very Greek DNA.
"Is there anything not Greek about you?" Eyewitness News entertainment reporter Joelle Garguilo asked.
"I don't think so," Alexandros Barpayianis said.
As soon as you step inside Ariston Flowers and Boutique on Fifth Avenue, you're greeted by an eclectic combination of petals, plants and freshbrewed coffee.
"We do everything. We've got plants. We have dried flowers," Antonis Barbagianis said.
"That's uncle?" Garguilo asked.
"Yep," he said. "Are we still in a flower shop? I'm like... what's going on?"
The aroma of florals blends with espresso as customers quickly become part of the family.
"How many family members are here right now?" Garguilo asked
"That'd be my brother over there. He's also Greek," Alexandros said.
"Is there anything Greek about me?" Garguilo said.
"Sicilians don't like to admit it, but, they're Greek," Antonis said.
"She's Greek," Garguilo said.
"You might be family. Who knows?" Antonis added.
"Let's talk about the origin story of this small business. Once upon a time, 49 years ago..." Garguilo said.
"When the first migrant came from a village, he started a flower shop," Antonis said. "Then the second person would come and be his apprentice. It kept going. People found work in flower shops, diners or woodworking."
"I was about 22, 23 years old, zero dollars to my name," Alexandros said. "I prepped flowers right here at Union Square and decided to go into business with no money. I worked 12 to 18 hours a day... and the rest is history."
From a oneman operation, Ariston has grown into a fullfledged family affair.
"It's a family. So we treat our customers that way," Antonis said. "We have customers who've been coming for 30, 40, 50 years."
"And you're really doing such a beautiful job bringing this business into 2026, we'll just say," Garguilo said.
"Because of internet retail, we decided to do something different," Antonis said. "Let's show this to more people. We decided to open the café."
In the back of the shop is a tuckedaway café that feels like its own world.
"You wouldn't even know... yeah. It's like a whole other place," Garguilo said.
"It's tucked in here," Antonis replied.
"If you get a coffee, you can also get a what?" Garguilo asked.
"A treat from my mom's recipe," Antonis said.
"Your mom's recipe. We have a family member back here," Garguilo said. "She's here. Family."
"Yeah, this is family," Antonis said.
"Greek olive oil, always. Not Italian," he added.
"This is Greek from Greece. The plates are even Greek."
"Greek salad."
"Greek cappuccino. Greeks invented it. Everything is Greek."
On the walls, the ceiling, even the bathroom, flowers are everywhere you look.
"I don't think I can survive without having plants or flowers around me," Alexandros said. "It's a culture. What would life be without love, without Valentine's? What would life be without color, without flowers?"
Whether it's the vibrant colors that draw you in, the Greek treats or simply the feeling of home, the family behind Ariston hopes you leave with a little more love in your day.
"How do you say 'cheers' in Greek?" Garguilo asked.
"Yamas," everyone replied together.
"Yamas."
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