Conversations with Steve Schofield

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Schofield.

Hi Steve, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I’m the grandson of Bill Schofield, who owned Schofield’s Flowers. His partner was Dean O’Banion of the North Side Gang in Chicago. O’Banion and my grandfather grew up together. In 1922, O’Banion needed a front for his money laundering and offered his boyhood friend $10,000 dollars to become his partner in Schofield’s Flowers. My grandfather, “Big Bill,” became a florist, and Dean became a notorious gangster in the North Side Gang. From that point on, the flower shop became one of the busiest flower shops in America, creating floral arrangements for all the top gangster weddings, bar mitzvahs, and, of course, funerals. In 1924, Dean O’Banion was killed by his arch-rival Al Capone, while inside Schofield’s Flowers. And on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14th in 1929, seven of the O’Banion North Side Gang were killed in The Clark Street Garage, again by Al Capone’s men. After The Saint Valentine’s Massacre, the city of Chicago said “we’re done with these killings,” and the FBI went after Capone for tax evasion.

The flower shop continued into the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s, catering to top celebrities, athletes, and, yes, even more gangsters, including Sam Giancana.

I delivered flowers for Sam and once in a blue moon ran his numbers.

The shop closed in 1976 and I moved into advertising. After many successful years in advertising, it was time to truly bring my family’s story and flower shop back to life as a content and experiential production company known today as Schofield’s Flowers. See our website at Schofieldsflowers.com and all of our social @schofieldsflowers.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s never a smooth road when you’re a builder of businesses.

I’ve been through 911, 08, Covid, and now here we are with the world changing constantly in front of us. But Schofield’s Flowers is blooming right now and we couldn’t be more excited. And now I don’t have any more partners and since I was the Executive Producer that always brought in the business, it went time for my brand.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I create commercials, content, and experiences for brands. My proudest moments would be launching:

– My short book series about me growing up in a Mobster Flower shop as a kid premiered at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas.
– BMW Films with David Fincher as the Ex Producer, the directors were Jonathan Frankenheimer, Ang Lee, Guy Ritchie, Wong Kar-Wai, and Alejandro González Iñárritu,
– Mini Cooper Robot RDR 50 Hoax Campaign with Alex Bogusky and Crispin Porter Bogusky,
– Launching and creating all the VFX for Buffy the Vampire and Angel with Joss Whedon.
– HP “Picture Book” launch
– Created an outdoor museum in Grant Park for the Netflix movie launch for “The Trial of the Chicago 7”.
– Halo Top 15 city activation tour currently running now.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Always open to talking about collaborating with brands. We’ve collaborated with Shagbag @getshagged on a smoking jacket series, LC King on a clothing line, and LA-based restaurant Lunetta All Day for restaurant pop-ups and activations.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.schofieldsflowers.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schofieldsflowers/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steve.schofield.927
• Twitter: SFNFT.io
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@schofieldsflowers3143