Chicago couple buys large florist

SARASOTA — A couple from Chicago acquired Beneva Flowers & Gifts Inc., one of the largest independent florists in the region.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

The couple, Dave and Shannon Shuel, plan to expand the company's services to include plant rentals and maintenance and possibly landscaping, says Art Conforti, who co-founded Beneva Flowers in 1986 with his parents. In addition to the main store on Beneva Road, the company, with about 50 employees, also owns Exotica Florist of Longboat Key, a recent acquisition. The Shuels ran a family-owned home products distribution business in Chicago.

Conforti will remain in the flower industry after the deal — he will even still have an office in the main shop. His focus will be on Beneva Solutions, a company he founded that works with florists nationwide to improve online sales and presence. Conforti says he has spent at least 80% of his time on that side of the business in recent years, and that's where his passion lies. “I have an unbelievable opportunity to grow the technology business,” Conforti says in an interview with the Business Observer.