John Constantine says goodbye to iconic garden store

by Sheldon Ocker

With his sixth spinal surgery scheduled for December, maybe only a man who grows and nurtures flowering plants for a living would have a totally enthusiastic attitude about his life.

So meet John Constantine. Just about everyone who lives in Richfield and Bath already has.

“Everybody laughs at me because they see me riding around town on a little Honda [motorcycle] with this big smile on my face,’’ Constantine said. “I’m so freaking blessed because this has been my first 69 years. This is it, right there.’’

Constantine’s back problems are forcing him to retire from Constantine Nursery and Garden Center in Richfield, a business started by his father John Sr. in 1955. Constantine’s last day on the job was the garden center’s final day of existence. Richfield developer Sam Petros is negotiating to buy the property, though no deal has been finalized.

Retirement wasn’t one of Constantine’s goals. Working virtually every day had become so ingrained that Constantine was hoping it would never end.

“Working seven days a week just became what I did,’’ he said. “It never, ever seemed like a chore. If it wasn’t for my back, I would have done this until I died. One day somebody would find me in the greenhouse. I’d be dead and that would be that. I wouldn’t have to worry about retirement.’’

Constantine’s involvement in his father’s business was far from a given. Constantine Jr. wasn’t opposed to growing and selling plants, but it was not on his radar as a child or as he entered adulthood.

“In the winter of 1973-74, I flunked out of Akron U, because I just didn’t go,’’ he said. “I went to class the first two weeks then it was, ‘I really don’t want to be here.’ Then I got the letter. I wanted to go back and tell them I quit, but they said, ‘No, you’re fired.’”

Some time between Constantine’s first cut class and the abrupt end to his brief career as a Zip, it dawned on him that he needed a job. His father came to the rescue, pointing his son toward the Briarwood condominium development on Route 303. But after a few months of working construction, Constantine had a better idea.

“I was grunt labor there, so I thought I’ll just come to the store,’’ he said. “About halfway through that first season I was thinking, ‘This isn’t as bad as I thought.’  I opened my mind to it.’’

That’s when Constantine embraced the idea of growing things as a vocation. He attended a branch of Ohio State University in Wooster and earned a two-year degree to learn his craft, which turned into his calling, then he read every gardening manual and research paper he could lay hands on.

“I was a C and D student at Revere, but I graduated [from the extension program] with a 3.6 because I wanted to learn,’’ he said.

Constantine eventually altered the business model his father had followed.

“Dad never grew anything,’’ he said. “He bought and sold.’’

Constantine built greenhouses behind the store. Growing things became his passion.

“I’m very happy when I’m in the greenhouse watering plants,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m an only child. I can occupy my mind, listen to music and water plants. If I could live forever, I could do this forever because it’s just fun.’’

The Richfield community is grateful that charity begins at the garden center. Constantine has become notable for his generosity.

“My dad was always there [aiding those in the community], so you do what you know to do.’’ he said. “I was never going to get rich doing this, so it’s nice to help people, to see people happy.’’

Unfortunately for a man who does manual labor, Constantine has had to endure pain far too often. In addition to undergoing five procedures to repair his back, he has had knee surgery and recently had to resolve a problem with his neck.

But even in pain, Constantine managed to find a positive. He met his wife Cindy when she was his nurse at Akron General Medical Center. She remains a nurse to this day, at the Cleveland Clinic’s facility in Independence.

“My mom told me to stay away from John,’’ Cindy said. “He was her patient when he had meningitis at 2 years old. My parents are 89 and 93 now, and I joke they like him better than they like me.’’

“And they do,’’ Constantine deadpanned.

In addition to growing things, Constantine has enjoyed interacting with customers.

“I told [long-time employee] Jane McDonough after my second back surgery that customers can walk to me [in the greenhouse] or I can meet them halfway,’’ he said, referring to midway between the store in front and the greenhouse in back.

Constantine didn’t want to make it difficult for customers to find him, so he placed a small metal table and chairs at the spot.

“I was dumb,’’ he said. “I devoted my whole life to this place and ruined my back. But I don’t know, as opposed to what.” In other words, Constantine wouldn’t have it any other way.

Main Photo Caption: The people that were often found working at Constantine’s Garden Center are (l-r) long-time employee Jane McDonough; Cindy Constantine, John Constantine’s wife; Thea Clom, Constantine’s granddaughter; employee Phillip Ruedrick, John’s son-in-law; John Constantine; and employee John Stedronsky, who specialized in plant care. Photo by S. Ocker.