SAN FRANCICO. – Larry Hoogasian’s family is in flower business for already 90 years. He knows the aromas of many flowers but he still prefers the humble carnation.

"They've gotten a bad rap. Commercial carnations are crossbred for longevity, so they have lost their cinnamon-y smell. I remember dad used to come home smelling like that,” said Larry, 59, who now runs Hoogasian Flowers, with his 62-year-old brother Harold.

As San Francisco Chronicle writes, while time when grocery stores are undercutting bouquet prices and online flower brokering has taken away half of the traditional floral business, the Hoogasians have made deep cuts to stay alive, but are determined to keep San Francisco tied to its floral past.

A half century ago, Larry and Harold were making corsages at their father's flower stand on Union Square, selling them for 50 cents to tourists expecting a European, cosmopolitan experience in the big city, which included wearing corsages to walk about town.