| Business Beat: Bella Fleur offering home decor, flowers and gifts Bella Fleur is the name of the new gift, flower and home furnishings and accessories shop being opened by the daughter-mother duo of Katie Cooper and Pokie Dean. City officials said while Old Navy is going into part of the concrete structure, the other part has no specific tenant in mind - yet. City officials said the part of the building not being utilized by Old Navy is configured in such a manner that it could serve a wide variety of retail needs. His new tenant, Hagemeyer North America, is leasing 15,000 square feet of industrial flexible space that will result in the consolidation of the Tyler and Longview division. The firm will employ 14 people at the new location. Cooper, the daughter of Longview Mayor Jay Dean, and Pokie Dean, the mayor's wife, will be offering a full-service flower shop, vintage furnishings and gifts of all kinds for a multitude of occasions. Cooper said the shop reflects the family's Southern Louisiana heritage. "The company wanted to stay as close to the I-20 corridor as is possible, as this is a strategic location for distribution-oriented businesses," Zhorne said. During this Saturday's grand opening event, Bella Fleur will be serving refreshments and giving away door prices. New industrial tenant Scott Zhorne, with Premiere Management, has signed a long-term lease in his new East I-20 Industrial Park at the northwest intersection of Interstate 20 and East Loop 281. to 2 p. to 6 p. Rounding out the staff will be Cooper's aunt, Martha Manuel, Rachal Malone and Kellie Garrettson. Old Navy neighbor The second half of the huge concrete structure which will house the new Old Navy location at 3090 N. , Hagemeyer is a distributor of services and products focusing on business-to-business markets in electrical materials, safety products and industrial products. Cooper said the shop will also be featuring lots of seasonal items, including the Round Top Collection, with wreaths, Christmas decor and other seasonal offerings. Monday through Friday and 10 a. Business Beat: Bella Fleur offering home decor, flowers and gifts |
Monday, 14 May 2012
Business Beat: Bella Fleur offering home decor, flowers and gifts
Florists question an old arrangement
| Florists question an old arrangement
About a week before Mother's Day, one of the busiest holidays for florists, a Google advertisement for George's Flowers in Roanoke read: "Real Local Roanoke Florist. But the cost structure used by the flower services can be a disadvantage for florists, and the relaying of orders from customer to flower service to florist presents opportunities for blunders for which local florists are blamed, several florists said. Competition from the large flower services is not all that is troubling the industry. Florists were hit by the recession, leading to some closures, said Jennifer Sparks, vice president of marketing for the Society of American Florists. While those challenges have affected the overall number of retail florists, they have also encouraged positive change, Sparks said: Florists are finding their niche and learning to be more efficient. Teleflora, then the Telegraph Delivery Service, started in 1934 as a means to connect florists across the country. In 1958 the company changed its name to Teleflora. Without those benefits, the retail floral industry would be in worse shape, he said. "The florists are the lifeblood of our industry," Apatoff said. Without that it would be a much tougher road for them. Several florists provided an example of how the cost structure typically works: A florist in North Carolina who takes an order for a $100 arrangement to be delivered in Roanoke gets $20 for taking the order. 9 million the same period last year. The companies declined to reveal their cost structure. "We follow an industry model for pricing," Apatoff said. Last year a group of 30 florists formed Florists for Change, a nonprofit with plans to start a marketing campaign that will educate consumers about the problems florists face and encourage consumers to shop locally. The organization also has sent a proposal to a number of the flower service companies asking them to amend their cost structure, said Dirk Lorenz, a florist in Fremont, Calif. In the meantime, some of Florists for Change's 200 members are turning to each other to fulfill orders across the country. The organization hopes its efforts will enhance the industry. "As time has gone on and more and more of these non-brick-and-mortar retailers are gathering orders, we've seen more and more florists go out of business," Lorenz said. The companies act as a go-between for florists taking orders to be delivered in different cities, states and countries. The business model is clearly a success for the flower services. FTD also reported increased earnings for the quarter that ended March 31. Locally, at least one florist also is trying to educate consumers. Blumen Haus-Dove Florist in Roanoke has a page on its website urging customers to use local florists and avoid national online or phone ordering services. Teleflora also has launched a "Save the Florists" campaign to educate consumers about "drop shipping," or ordering flowers from a service that bypasses florists and ships flowers in a box. "Teleflora is dedicated to making florists successful," spokeswoman Missy Miller said. FTD said it also supports florists by providing them with marketing and software. "We spend a tremendous amount of money on marketing and technology that they couldn't afford otherwise," Apatoff said. "Local florists, we all work extremely hard to supply good customer service and a quality product," Blumen Haus manager Cindy Rice said. The floral shop still works with all of the flower services, Rice said. "The best thing these companies do is process the credit card. Mixed bouquet The plight of the floral industry has prompted positive changes which will help florists sustain their businesses, said Sparks, of the Society of American Florists. For instance, included in the coupons that were part of the May 6 Roanoke Times was a two-page advertisement for Teleflora that listed the Roanoke-area flower shops it works with. Debbie Haynes, who formerly operated Twig and Berry floral shop in Roanoke, decided to refocus her business by relocating to Salem and sharing a Main Street space with a wedding gown consignment store and a stationery business. "I just felt like we needed a different way to make it work," Haynes said. The floral shop is now called the Flower Shoppe on Main. Some florists, such as Clements, also point out that they are in competition with the large flower services for orders, because the services keep a larger share of the profit on orders that come in via the Internet or telephone, as compared to those placed with a florist who transmits the order. Ruth Valentine of Fallon Florist in Roanoke sees those benefits. Her shop uses FTD, and Valentine has noticed it gives her business an opportunity to reach new customers who have been the recipients of her work. "It happens enough to know that it's not just a flukey sort of thing," she said. Florists for Change Some florists are beginning to push back. Clements, of George's Flowers, decided three years ago to stop working with the large flower services. He worries that issues with late deliveries and wrong orders are tarnishing the industry. The large flower services say they support florists by creating sales for local shops through marketing and merchandising. "We really try to be partners with our florists and champion their business," FTD president Rob Apatoff said. Some florists agree, saying that working alongside the flower services gives them a chance to reach new customers. Reynolds said her group's members are increasingly turning to each other to fulfill orders within the state. "A lot of people go store to store to prevent the wire service fees," she said. She also encourages consumers to use the Internet to find a florist in the city where they need flowers delivered and work directly with that florist. |
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Wedding florist in Hagley
| If you are searching for wedding florist in Hagley or perhaps even the following: - Anniversary flowers Hagley - Birthday flowers in Hagley Why not get in touch with Crazy Daisies? We are certain that our wedding florist in Hagley is the very best in the area and we will gladly help you with our professional advice and experience. Simply leave an enquiry above and we will get back to you. |
Funeral florist Sheffield
| Getting a good deal on funeral florist Sheffield can be difficult - but not if you get in contact with our company of Sheffield. Offering our services for funeral florist Sheffield in Sheffield as well as Sheffield's surrounding areas, our years of knowledge and experience gained in the Florists industry allow us to give our clients the very best prices and service available. We also offer our expertise for: - Florist in Sheffield - Florist and gifts in Sheffield - Flowers Sheffield |
Online Florists Popular For Last-Minute Mother's Day Gifts, But Experts Recommend Caution
| Online Florists Popular For Last-Minute Mother's Day Gifts, But Experts Recommend Caution Online florists are one of newer and more convenient elements of the internet's integration into modern life, and many seeking last-minute Mother's Day gifts are searching out online florists for a fuss-free and convenient gift for the mothers in their lives. Among the recommendations made for finding a reputable online florist go back to reviews- asking friends, family and co-workers about their experiences with online flower retailers. National online florists like Teleflora and 1-800-Flowers have reviews across the internet testifying to their service and value when it comes to ordering last-minute Mother's Day gifts over the web. Those using online florists for last-minute Mother's Day gifts are urged to request an itemized bill from their online florist of choice detailing charges for the items ordered, service fees and delivery associated with their purchase. Online Florists Popular For Last-Minute Mother's Day Gifts, But Experts Recommend Caution |
On Mother's Day, give her the gift of thrift
| On Mother's Day, give her the gift of thrift It's Mother's Day , so a lot of you are most probably going to pick up mom and take her out to brunch. Cost: $20 to $100. Cost: $25 to $35. If your mother likes hazelnut spread, teach her how to make her own instead of buying expensive products such as Nutella at the grocery store. Estimated savings: $595. 58. We visited some closet Cheapsters in Schnecksville back in March, and they get some great reception with the antenna mounted on their shed. Joanne Sanchez showed us hers in October. Estimated savings: $1,450 over twenty years. Cost: $7. Here are some ideas. Help mom get free TV with an antenna instead of shelling out every month for cable. 50. Mom will get a nice foam and keep her hands clean for a lot less. Estimated savings: $708 over two decades. If you're tapped out and barely have enough gas money to get to mom's, this is the choice for you. Cost: $0. Karen Winkler in April showed us how she uses these ingredients to make a pig pile of steaming compost. Scrounge for some dead leaves in your yard or in the storm drains on your street. If it looks like that programming would be sufficient, spend Mother's Day installing an antenna. Teach your mom how to make her own foaming hand soap so she does not have to keep buying those expensive dispensers for kitchen and bathroom. Help your mother keep her utility bill in check with a clothes drying rack for her laundry. . |
Online Florists Popular For Last-Minute Mother's Day Gifts, But Experts Recommend Caution
| Online Florists Popular For Last-Minute Mother's Day Gifts, But Experts Recommend Caution
Online florists are one of newer and more convenient parts of the internet's integration into modern life, and many seeking last-minute Mother's Day gifts are searching out online florists for a fuss-free and convenient gift for the mothers in their lives. Among the recommendations made for finding a reputable online florist go back to reviews- asking friends, family and co-workers about their experiences with online flower retailers. National online florists like Teleflora and 1-800-Flowers have reviews across the internet testifying to their service and value when it comes to ordering last-minute Mother's Day gifts over the web. Those using online florists for last-minute Mother's Day gifts are urged to request an itemized bill from their online florist of choice detailing charges for the items ordered, service fees and delivery associated with their purchase. Online Florists Popular For Last-Minute Mother's Day Gifts, But Experts Recommend Caution |