Portsmouth flower and plant shop ready to branch out into Rochester

Flowers by Leslie owner Jane Densmore, left and Cindy Smith, who'll be manager, do some painting Friday at their soon to be open shop on Hanson Street . (Rochester Voice photo)

ROCHESTER - A well-established Portsmouth floral shop will soon blossom in the Lilac City.
Flowers by Leslie, which has been around since 1966, will move into a storefront at the eastern end of Hanson Street.
Owner Jane Densmore said she bought the business in October 2019 just a few months before the pandemic lockdown, which forced her to lay off all her help, she said.
She said later in 2020 she was able to bring everyone back and is looking forward to her opening in Rochester.
"I just love this city," Densmore said.
Rochester store manager Cindy Smith, a lifetime Rochester resident, said she's looking forward to getting the place opened in time for the holidays.
Densmore said the big thing holding them up now is the wait for a commercial cooler to arrive. She expects they'll be open by mid-November.
Flowers by Leslie's main shop is located at 801 Islington St. in Portsmouth.