Warren, NJ Florists

Warren Flower Shop News

Perspective | This D.C. florist secret to surviving 114 years and four generations - The Washington Post

Day is bustling. And then, of course, Valentine’s Day.It’s do-or-die day. The truck fleet grows to 30 just for Valentine’s Day, and the staff doubles.[My conversation with Warren Buffett about bridge, Bill Gates and a bus ride] “We may go up to 1,500 deliveries,” Mike said. “You want to get them all on that one day, but you can only take so many orders. Sometimes we ask them to take the flowers on the day before, or even two days before if they wait too long.”Cheryl Diaz MeyerFor The Washington PostPhil Caruso and his son Michael Caruso, who says, “with flowers, you want to move those out two, three days after you get them in.”The Carusos have been selling flowers since Teddy Roosevelt was president. It is one of only a few old-school Washington survivors, along with Ben’s Chili Bowl (a youngster at 1958), Tiny Jewel Box (1944), Cleveland Park’s Uptown Theater (1936) and Wagshal’s delicatessen (1925). It didn’t take me long to figure out why Caruso is still in business after more than a century.Two words: asset light.They own no warehouse. No gardens. No greenhouses. They have zero debt, save for a few thousand dollars on the delivery trucks. They lease 2,600 feet across two buildings separated by a driveway instead of owning the buildings. “People say, ‘Gosh, why don’t you put a shop in Virginia? Why don’t you put one in Maryland?’” Mike said. “The thing about this is we like to have control over the product and the employees and everyone. That way, you can take care of your quality. If you start branching out more and more, then you have more headaches.”Boxes of flowers come in the back door, and beautiful arrangements fly out the front. Besides the trucks, they have some refrigerators and a computer. “With flowers, you want to move those out two, three days after you get them in,” Mike said. “It’s not like food where you can put it in the freezer. You want to keep that product moving.”The Washington economy does its part.“You are insulated by being in D.C., between the government, the individual businesses and the law firms,” he said. “We have been at this location since 1968. The rents keep escalating. I try to get in as long a lease as I can. I signed one a couple of years ago for 10 years.”[A first lesson on the stock market: Don’t run from a good sale]Mike’s brothers, Tim and Steven, split responsibilities. Tim takes care of technology and billing. Steve handles hard and soft items such as vases and fruit. Phil orders most of the flowers and is the ambassador and face of the company.Everything about Phil is flowers. He lives in a Montgomery County neighborhood called (I am not making this up) Flower Valley. His house is on Jasmine Drive. He wore a green flower-print Brooks Brothers silk tie when I saw him.Phil doesn’t take a salary. He and Peg, his wife of 63 years, live on Social Security and stock investments.“We bought a new truck with my salary [instead... https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/this-dc-florists-secret-to-surviving-114-years-and-four-generations/2017/08/18/ee1a0152-836e-11e7-b359-15a3617c767b_story.html

Perspective | This D.C. florists secret to surviving 114 years and four generations - The Washington Post

Day is bustling. And then, of course, Valentine’s Day.It’s do-or-die day. The truck fleet grows to 30 just for Valentine’s Day, and the staff doubles.[My conversation with Warren Buffett about bridge, Bill Gates and a bus ride] “We may go up to 1,500 deliveries,” Mike said. “You want to get them all on that one day, but you can only take so many orders. Sometimes we ask them to take the flowers on the day before, or even two days before if they wait too long.”Cheryl Diaz MeyerFor The Washington PostPhil Caruso and his son Michael Caruso, who says, “with flowers, you want to move those out two, three days after you get them in.”The Carusos have been selling flowers since Teddy Roosevelt was president. It is one of only a few old-school Washington survivors, along with Ben’s Chili Bowl (a youngster at 1958), Tiny Jewel Box (1944), Cleveland Park’s Uptown Theater (1936) and Wagshal’s delicatessen (1925). It didn’t take me long to figure out why Caruso is still in business after more than a century.Two words: asset light.They own no warehouse. No gardens. No greenhouses. They have zero debt, save for a few thousand dollars on the delivery trucks. They lease 2,600 feet across two buildings separated by a driveway instead of owning the buildings. “People say, ‘Gosh, why don’t you put a shop in Virginia? Why don’t you put one in Maryland?’” Mike said. “The thing about this is we like to have control over the product and the employees and everyone. That way, you can take care of your quality. If you start branching out more and more, then you have more headaches.”Boxes of flowers come in the back door, and beautiful arrangements fly out the front. Besides the trucks, they have some refrigerators and a computer. “With flowers, you want to move those out two, three days after you get them in,” Mike said. “It’s not like food where you can put it in the freezer. You want to keep that product moving.”The Washington economy does its part.“You are insulated by being in D.C., between the government, the individual businesses and the law firms,” he said. “We have been at this location since 1968. The rents keep escalating. I try to get in as long a lease as I can. I signed one a couple of years ago for 10 years.”[A first lesson on the stock market: Don’t run from a good sale]Mike’s brothers, Tim and Steven, split responsibilities. Tim takes care of technology and billing. Steve handles hard and soft items such as vases and fruit. Phil orders most of the flowers and is the ambassador and face of the company.Everything about Phil is flowers. He lives in a Montgomery County neighborhood called (I am not making this up) Flower Valley. His house is on Jasmine Drive. He wore a green flower-print Brooks Brothers silk tie when I saw him.Phil doesn’t take a salary. He and Peg, his wife of 63 years, live on Social Security and stock investments.“We bought a new truck with my salary [instead... https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/this-dc-florists-secret-to-surviving-114-years-and-four-generations/2017/08/18/ee1a0152-836e-11e7-b359-15a3617c767b_story.html

Friendship Through Flowers

When Mihori came to the United States in the 1950s, her husband was a graduate student at the University of Miami. The couple soon moved to Delray Beach, where they raised three children: Warren, James Jr. and Charlotte (Kasumi). In 2012, Mihori received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver, from the emperor of Japan for spreading an understanding of Japanese culture in the U.S. Today, she continues this mission, primarily through ikebana. "Flowers don't need a language," she says. "Everyone loves flowers. I enjoy creating beauty and hope we can use that beauty to create a world of friendship and peace." O ... http://bocaratonobserver.com/observed/la-vida-boca/2018-08-friendship-through-flowers/

Doris Irene Ledbetter

Marcia Jaynes, Dallas, Ga., Phil (Shelia) Ledbetter, Chattanooga, and Laura (Tony) Burgess, Red Bank, grandchildren, Joseph (Hannah) Ledbetter, Sacramento, Ca., Rachel (Warren) McCrickard, Hixson, Rebecca (Kendal) Shipley, Ringgold, Samantha (Ben) Harris, Atlanta, Angel (Tabitha) Serrano, Jacksonville, Fl., Bryan (Krisia) Jaynes, Bedford, NH., Andi and Adrienne Jaynes, both of Atlanta, nine great-grandchildren, sister-in-law, Mary Nell Sullivan, Chattanooga, several nieces and nephews and many dear friends.A Celebration of Doris’ Life will be held in the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 11 a.m. with Reverend Mike Lofton officiating. The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday. Doris will be laid to rest with her husband in the Chattanooga National Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, the family would like memorial contributions to be made to Hearth Hospice in Doris’ memory for the excellent care they afforded her. Also the family wishes to give thanks to the Lantern at Shallowford for the excellent care they gave Doris.Arrangements are under the care of Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist East Chapel, 404 South Moore Road, East Ridge, Tn. 37412. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com... http://www.chattanoogan.com/2018/7/30/373605/Doris-Irene-Ledbetter.aspx

WKU to close down the WKU Floral Shop next week - College Heights Herald

In a public Facebook post by Christal Smith McKinney, according to her LinkedIn profile information she is an alumna of WKU, said the charge to close the Floral Shop was led by Warren County Judge-Executive Michael Buchanon. Buchanon, according to business registration information filed with the Kentucky secretary of state's office, is the president of Deemer Floral Co., a local floral shop on Lehman Avenue in Bowling Green. Buchanon publicly commented on McKinney's status and said all the privately owned florists in the region have opposed WKU and "their publicly funded Flower Shop competing against privately funded taxpaying businesses." He said this feud has been ongoing and dates back to former President Gary Ransdell who, he said, often dismissed the objections of local flower shop owners. "WKU’s Flower Shop has had the use of publicly owned building facilities, floral products, equipment and supplies paid for with mine and your tax dollars, and delivered in University owned delivery vans with Official State license tags. - all paid for with taxes you paid.," Buchanon said in his comment. The Floral Shop is a revenue dependent program and these programs generate funds independently from the university. For the 2017-18 fiscal year, the shop was budgeted to generate and spend $275,000, according to the university budget.Buchanon also pushed back on the assertion made by McKinney that the shop's closure came as a result of Buchanon asking a favor of Governor Matt Bevin to pressure the university to close the shop. Buchanon said Bevin... http://wkuherald.com/news/wku-to-close-down-the-wku-floral-shop-next-week/article_bdd2cfe2-4cb3-11e8-aff6-9f549d85f2c2.html

Better Than Roses - The Newtown Bee

The Sunshine Bouquet Company began in New Jersey before branching out to Florida and Columbia, which allowed “Sunshine to provide efficient, rapid delivery to the United States.”Ms Brisch said Big Y also offers flower bouquets and potted plants from local farms, like Cavicchio Greenhouse in Sudbury, Mass. Since Big Y is headquartered in Springfield, Mass., its local farms are located in Massachusetts or Connecticut. Newtown Big Y Store Director Angelo Soto shared a list of all of its local farms, and those include Casertano’s Greenhouse in Cheshire, Connecticut Valley Flower in Hamden, Geremia Greenhouse in Wallingford, and Grower Direct in Somers.“There are so many local things to chose from,” said Ms Brisch.From choosing to support a conscientious company to finding ways to support local farms there is more to consider than just the color of a bouquet’s assorted flowers.Off-Season OptionsConnecticut-grown flowers can be hard to find in the winter.Natalie Collette of The Gardenist of Norwalk offers floral arrangements and designs, along with garden design support and maintenance, according to her Facebook page, The Gardenist. She mostly sells her flowers to local florists and people who contact her directly. A farmer florist, Ms Collette said she has private properties where she plants seasonal flowers, all organically. She harvests and creates bouquets along with maintaining a dahlia farm in New Haven. Growers in Connecticut, unless they have a greenhouse, do not grow flowers out of season, she observed. This makes it harder for local shops to maintain locally grown flowers in the winter months.When asked for ideas for alternative Valentine’s Day presents, Ms Collette recommended gifting a living flower arrangement or foraging for a bouquet of seasonal elements. Potted plants from a nursery also provide year-long enjoyment.“If it is a perennial, you can enjoy the plant from when you purchase it [until you] plant it in the spring,” said Ms Collette, who is currently selling hous... https://www.newtownbee.com/better-roses/02102019

Third-generation owner seeks to turn retail plant shop into lifestyle brand - Crains New York Business

My family owns the West 96th Street building and has considered selling it, but we want to keep a retail presence there. PlantShed needs more space for production, though. We might move offices to New Jersey—where we recently got a warehouse—Long Island City or further uptown. There are stresses on the business, but we're making it work. When I took over, I realized we could not just be a retail flower store. The numbers wouldn't support it. That's why we pursued the idea of putting cafés in our shops. Retail stores also need to be a lifestyle brand.Our goal is to spread our love of plants and flowers to people around the city and beyond. I've hired employees to facilitate partnerships and make our stores young and hip. Through the cafés, we have created a way for people to gather and be surrounded by nature. Those who come in every morning for a cup of coffee think of us when they need to buy a bouquet of flowers. We want to foster community and build a local attachment to our brand.I'm a partner in Haven, a boutique hotel in Montauk, which is a separate business from PlantShed. In the past few years, we have blown Haven out with plants, putting custom-made hanging baskets in the walkways and tropical houseplants in the hotel rooms. Guests love it. Now I am working on a hotel concept. I'm trying to find a location for a farmstead, greenhouse and inn in the Hudson Valley or the Catskills. PlantShed would own it, and it would be something really unique, bridging biophilia and hospitality.It's definitely something we could bring to New York City or another city down the line. We have found that incorporating plant life in an urban setting is appealing to people. We assume these travelers want a city vibe, rather than a country or tropical feel. So it would be a matter of incorporating plants and flowers in a way that accentuates the look and feel of a city. https://www.crainsnewyork.com/asked-answered/third-generation-owner-seeks-turn-retail-plant-shop-lifestyle-brand

Third-generation owner seeks to turn retail plant shop into lifestyle brand

My family owns the West 96th Street building and has considered selling it, but we want to keep a retail presence there. PlantShed needs more space for production, though. We might move offices to New Jersey—where we recently got a warehouse—Long Island City or further uptown. There are stresses on the business, but we're making it work. When I took over, I realized we could not just be a retail flower store. The numbers wouldn't support it. That's why we pursued the idea of putting cafés in our shops. Retail stores also need to be a lifestyle brand.Our goal is to spread our love of plants and flowers to people around the city and beyond. I've hired employees to facilitate partnerships and make our stores young and hip. Through the cafés, we have created a way for people to gather and be surrounded by nature. Those who come in every morning for a cup of coffee think of us when they need to buy a bouquet of flowers. We want to foster community and build a local attachment to our brand.I'm a partner in Haven, a boutique hotel in Montauk, which is a separate business from PlantShed. In the past few years, we have blown Haven out with plants, putting custom-made hanging baskets in the walkways and tropical houseplants in the hotel rooms. Guests love it. Now I am working on a hotel concept. I'm trying to find a location for a farmstead, greenhouse and inn in the Hudson Valley or the Catskills. PlantShed would own it, and it would be something really unique, bridging biophilia and hospitality.It's definitely something we could bring to New York City or another city down the line. We have found that incorporating plant life in an urban setting is appealing to people. We assume these travelers want a city vibe, rather than a country or tropical feel. So it would be a matter of incorporating plants and flowers in a way that accentuates the look and feel of a city. https://www.crainsnewyork.com/asked-answered/third-generation-owner-seeks-turn-retail-plant-shop-lifestyle-brand

N.Y. man who buried the man he murdered behind a N.J. florist shop found guilty - NJ.com

Vance said in a release. "He was murdered in cold blood in a crime of unconscionable violence, his body mutilated, thrown from a fourth-story window, and abandoned behind a florist's shop in New Jersey."Comunale was stabbed 15 times on Nov. 13 at Rackover's East 59th Street apartment following a party also attended by Lawrence Dilione, 28, of Jersey City and Max Gemma, 30, of Oceanport, authorities said.Both men are also facing charges related to the incident, including a second-degree murder charge for Dilione.At about 9:45 p.m. that night, Rackover and Dilione drove Comunale's body, which had been burned, to a field behind a florist on Monmouth Boulevard in Oceanport and buried it, investigators have said. A court motion filed on behalf of Gemma, who is the son of former Oceanport Mayor Gordon Gemma in January claimed Dilione, a former Oceanport resident, admitted to investigators that he knocked Comunale unconscious after an argument over cigarettes, the New York Post reported.Dilione told investigators that Rackover then viciously kicked and beat the defenseless Comunale. After realizing Comunale was severely injured and afraid of being arrested, the motion says, Rackover said: "We have to kill him," according to the report.Rackover is expected to be sentenced on Dec. 5, a release from the district attorney's office said.The charges against Dilione and Gemma were still pending Friday, Vance said.Dilione was charged with second-degree murder, hindering prosecution, tampering with physical evidence and three counts of concealment of a human corpse. Gemma was charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence.Dilione was scheduled to stand trial on Jan. 14 and Gemma's court da... https://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2018/11/ny_man_who_buried_the_man_he_murdered_behind_a_nj_florist_shop_found_guilty.html