Central Florist & Pet Store

Central Florist & Pet Store has been part of Gżira life since 1974, when Charles Gruppetta opened a small pet shop that grew into a combined flower, garden and pet business. Today it is a family-owned florist and pet store at 159 The Strand, the waterfront road that links Sliema and Valletta, and it sits in our florists directory. For a UK visitor staying nearby, it is a practical place to buy a bouquet for a host, or to order flowers for relatives from home.

The family and the shop

Charles Gruppetta started in the trade at the age of 15 and began the shop 50 years ago. His two daughters later joined: Fabienne, a director and floral designer, and Ingrid, a director and administrator, both of whom studied floral design. Their flair and passion turned the shop into a respected flower business alongside the pet and garden side. Duncan Cardona manages the pet store, and Roberta Sammut works as both groomer and florist.

The florist is open about where its stems come from: it imports flowers directly from Holland and also sources from the best local growers, and it sells fresh flowers at wholesale prices to other flower shops and independent designers. The Holy Communion range is all-white, made to order and placed in a carry bag with water, which makes it easy to take to a church. Graduation, Christmas and Halloween designs follow the calendar, so there is usually something seasonal on display whenever you visit.

Flowers, plants and gifts

The online range is arranged by occasion and season: love and romance, birthday, get well, thank you, welcome baby, Valentine's Day, Women's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Holy Communion, Father's Day, graduation, Halloween and Christmas, plus funeral and sympathy tributes. There are hat boxes, a luxury box blooms collection, plants, preserved roses, gift baskets and a flower of the month tied to each person's birth month. Product prices are shown including VAT, and many designs come in more than one size, so you can pick a smaller or larger version of the same bouquet. Autumn, summer, spring and Christmas collections change through the year, and there are succulent planters, pampas and rose bouquets, gin and herb gift baskets and floral wine boxes for people who like a gift that is more than flowers.

Weddings, corporate events and occasional events are handled too, with floral decoration designed to suit the venue and the couple's taste, and flowers can be customised with add-ons to make a present more personal. Flower of the month ideas help if you want a gift linked to someone's birth month. A loyalty card gives a €10 voucher after enough points, usable for both flowers and pet products. Visitors choosing a base nearby can read our Sliema hotels guide, which also covers the Gżira area, or the wider where to stay in Malta page.

Pet store and grooming

The pet store offers a wide range of products and grooming services from qualified stylists who hold annual safety certification. Local vets worth knowing about include Animal Aid Veterinary Clinic and Animal Kingdom Vets, and the shop also stocks birds and plants and accessories.

Delivery and getting in touch

Delivery covers Malta and Gozo, with a same-day option from Monday to Saturday, and flowers can also be ordered through the Wolt and Bolt apps; on Wolt they are delivered within an hour. The shop also arranges local and worldwide floral delivery. If you are exploring the area, the Valletta guide and the Gozo guide are good next reads, and Adventure Cruises Malta is a short distance away for a boat trip. Language learners can also look at AM Language.

To ask about flowers or the pet store, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the team.