Apollo Flower Shop News
Walmart Slashed Its Orders. His Equipment Melted Down. This Guy Made It Work Anyway
Tuesday, July 31, 2018But I wasn't alone. Four investors from Akasha came over--loyal friends who knew me. My longtime manager in China, Apollo Li, helped me vet glassblowers and factories.We wanted a seamless design, not two ugly pieces of glass glued together. We figured something called the pocket technique: You blow the outside form, and while it's curing you drop another ball of molten glass on the top. But if there's too much temperature variation, the thing will explode. We tried underwater techniques, and even lasers! You can laser-cut through glass, but now you're talking about a $50,000 to $100,000 machine. Finally, we designed it so that it had a neck with an opening on it, that we could cut off.A good friend of mine suggested I sell to QVC--you could really demonstrate what's cool about the product on TV, filling the outer container with river rocks, or candy, or family photos, then changing the flowers. QVC made my first big order. But then a furnace melted down at the factory in China. I'm like, this is supposed to be my comeback! Am I cursed? I ended up working with one of the factories we originally passed on. They turned out to be my best partner. They invested in a brand-new furnace and now I have two factories with tremendous capacity. In March of 2018, we finally sold on QVC. Since then I've gotten contracts to sell Vunder vases to Bed Bath & Beyond, Wayfair, and FloraMart, a distributor to independent florists. And Michaels is testing our products in 34 stores.On April 6th I went back to Teleflora. They put me in the same conference room that I'd been in when I presented to the president. Their entire design team met me and I was able to show them this finished product that solved all of the problems they'd mentioned. They're testing our vases now, too.From the July/August 2018 issue of Inc. Magazine... https://www.inc.com/magazine/201808/burt-helm/how-i-did-it-adam-kasha.html
Santa Clarita florist Steve Hanauer dies at 76 - Santa Clarita Valley Signal
Tuesday, August 15, 2017Bouquet Canyon Road, which he sold in the early ’90s and a third, which closed in 1996, in the Valencia Industrial Center. For a time, they had a store on Town Center Dr. where Apollo’s Barber Shop is now located. The Hyatt had just opened, and there wasn’t yet enough foot traffic to support that location.Steve’s also held the concession to sell flowers at the gift shop at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital for a number of years, and the shop continues a tradition at the hospital.“When a patient, and it’s usually women, finishes their treatment for breast cancer and get the word that they are cancer free, we give them a complimentary pink rose,” Jan said. “We go some weeks without any; this week, there are three. Receiving a flower makes people happy.”Steve’s also provided a free bouquet of flowers each week for the reception desks at The Signal and Santa Clarita City Hall. “It’s a nice gesture, and we left some business cards next to the bouquet, so it was probably good for business,” Jan Hanauer said.Today, Steve’s is back to its original store on Lyons, by now the oldest full-service flower shop in Santa Clarita.It’s a family operation, with Jan and two daughters running the shop. Most of its employees have been with the shop for more than 15 years.Steve was in the store every day until about two years ago, when health problems forced him to cut back to a couple of afternoons a week.Steve Hanauer carried a notebook in which he kept track of wedding anniversaries, birthdays and other important dates, so he could make timely reminders to his regular customers when it was time to buy a bouquet.He was active with the Kiwanis Club of Santa Clarita, serving a term as president, and helping to organize its annual 5K run at Magic Mountain. He also helped run the local chapter of the American Cancer Society’s annual Daffodil Days fundraiser, and supported the SCV Boys and Girls Club and the SCV Senior Center.“He was an amazing person, so sweet,” said Nikkie Ha, manager of the Mandarin Wong Restaurant next door to the floral shop. “And his shop has the best flowers.”Jan Hanauer shares that sentiment. “This business was his life, and it was a lot of hard work. But he loved it.”A memorial service for Hanauer is planned, but no date has been set.
Former local florist dies after heart attack | Local News ... - Fremont Tribune
Tuesday, July 18, 2017It was never just an order for him,” she said.Visitors to the store also came to know the Storks’ dogs, like Charlie the dachshund, and more recently, Apollo, the Boston terrier, who playfully greeted joyous customers or comforted those grieving the loss of loved ones.In 2014, Stork had an opportunity to pursue his interest in acting when he played the part of the superintendent in the lively musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” at the Omaha Community Playhouse. He would get more roles.And as time passed, the Storks prepared for retirement.“Once we hit 65, Kent finally knew we needed to be thinking seriously about the retirement and closing the store,” she said.Their new vocation would be as grandparents in Henderson, where their oldest son Zach and his family live.“That was really my dream, because he had such a wonderful theater community at the Omaha Community Playhouse and he had made friendships there that were very special to him. That was filling a spot that was a long-standing hole in his life, because he was a speech and drama major and did so much with the theater in college, and then set it aside once he became a florist,” she said.Stork enjoyed finding success on stage and getting some fun roles.“We have some wonderful friends in Omaha that have helped me quite a bit here,” Joyce Stork said. “The posts they’ve made (on Facebook) and things they’ve shared — it’s just really special.”Stork had begun auditioning for parts within a couple weeks after moving to Henderson. He was pleased to get a main role in the dark comedy, “Art of Murder,” at the Henderson theater. Get news headlines sent daily to your inbox .whatcounts-form-container.well { padding-bottom: 5px; } .whatcounts-form-container .left-col, .whatcounts-form-container .right-col{ float: left; width: 100%; max-width: 345px; } .whatcounts-form-container .left-col{ margin-right: 20px; } .whatcounts-form-container .whatcounts-min .left-col{ max-width: none; margin: 0; } .whatcounts-form-container .disclaimer { font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom:10px; clear:both; } .whatcounts-form-container .input-group-addon.wc-addon-captcha{ padding: 4px 10px; border-left: 0; } “It was much larger role than anything he’d ever done before and he was excited about it,” she said.The morning before the performance, the Storks went to church and attended a Bible class where the pastor explained what it means for the church to be the body of Christ — and how it’s a union with the Lord.“You’re joined to him,” she said. “You are the Lord’s and you are so safe.”The Storks marveled at what they heard in the class.“After we left church, driving home, we talked about how that Bible class really was special and we’d really learned a lot — and he was gone 12 hours later. And I can’t think of anything that will lift me more than knowing where he was with his Lord at that time. He had union with Christ and that’s all we could ask for,” she said.Joyce Stork went with a friend to see her husband’s performance on Sunday. She wondered if he was losing his lines, because he was nervous that she was in the audience.As part of the play, Stork exited the stage. His wife was tapped on the shoulder. Bac... http://fremonttribune.com/news/local/former-local-florist-dies-after-heart-attack/article_e8839306-6bfd-5087-b0aa-3945cccc2a44.html
Former local florist dies after heart attack - Fremont Tribune
Monday, May 08, 2017It was never just an order for him,” she said.Visitors to the store also came to know the Storks’ dogs, like Charlie the dachshund, and more recently, Apollo, the Boston terrier, who playfully greeted joyous customers or comforted those grieving the loss of loved ones.In 2014, Stork had an opportunity to pursue his interest in acting when he played the part of the superintendent in the lively musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” at the Omaha Community Playhouse. He would get more roles.And as time passed, the Storks prepared for retirement.“Once we hit 65, Kent finally knew we needed to be thinking seriously about the retirement and closing the store,” she said.Their new vocation would be as grandparents in Henderson, where their oldest son Zach and his family live.“That was really my dream, because he had such a wonderful theater community at the Omaha Community Playhouse and he had made friendships there that were very special to him. That was filling a spot that was a long-standing hole in his life, because he was a speech and drama major and did so much with the theater in college, and then set it aside once he became a florist,” she said.Stork enjoyed finding success on stage and getting some fun roles.“We have some wonderful friends in Omaha that have helped me quite a bit here,” Joyce Stork said. “The posts they’ve made (on Facebook) and things they’ve shared — it’s just really special.”Stork had begun auditioning for parts within a couple weeks after moving to Henderson. He was pleased to get a main role in the dark comedy, “Art of Murder,” at the Henderson theater. Get news headlines sent daily to your inbox .whatcounts-form-container.well { padding-bottom: 5px; } .whatcounts-form-container .left-col, .whatcounts-form-container .right-col{ float: left; width: 100%; max-width: 345px; } .whatcounts-form-container .left-col{ margin-right: 20px; } .whatcounts-form-container .whatcounts-min .left-col{ max-width: none; margin: 0; } .whatcounts-form-container .disclaimer { font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom:10px; clear:both; } .whatcounts-form-container .input-group-addon.wc-addon-captcha{ padding: 4px 10px; border-left: 0; } “It was much larger role than anything he’d ever done before and he was excited about it,” she said.The morning before the performance, the Storks went to church and attended a Bible class where the pastor explained what it means for the church to be the body of Christ — and how it’s a union with the Lord.“You’re joined to him,” she said. “You are the Lord’s and you are so safe.”The Storks marveled at what they heard in the class.“After we left church, driving home, we talked about how that Bible class really was special and we’d really learned a lot — and he was gone 12 hours later. And I can’t think of anything that will lift me more than knowing where he was with his Lord at that time. He had union with Christ and that’s all we could ask for,” she said.Joyce Stork went with a friend to see her husband’s performance on Sunday. She wondered if he was losing his lines, because he was nervous that she was in the audience.As part of the play, Stork exited the stage. His wife was tapped on the shoulder. Back... http://fremonttribune.com/news/local/former-local-florist-dies-after-heart-attack/article_e8839306-6bfd-5087-b0aa-3945cccc2a44.html
4 flowers blooming in Kansas City - Tonka News
Monday, April 11, 2016With over a thousand different varieties, tulips remain popular and can be found in many gardens around the world. (Rachel Adamson)2. Hyacinth- Legend has it that Apollo and Zephyr- two Greek gods- fought for a young boy named Hyakinthos’s attention. One day as Apollo was showing the boy how to throw discus, Zephyr blew the discus back, which hit the boy in the head and killed him. Apollo named the flower hyacinth, which grew from the blood of Hyakinthos. The flower represents the play in the language of flowers but the blue ones show sincerity. (Rachel Adamson)3. Magnolia- Unlike some other flowers, magnolias grow on trees and they cannot pollinate by themselves they must rely on beetles. In 1952, it became the state flower of Mississippi. Today magnolias can be found in many types of medicines for lung issues, relaxing muscles and congestion in the chest. Magnolias can be traced to 100 million years ago, therefore they represent stability and grace. (Emily Elliott)4. Daffodils- To botanists, daffodils are known as narcissus. In England since they are connected to lent, they are known as the “Lent Lilly.” In Wales it is believed that if you see the first daffodil then the next 12 months will be full of wealth. Daffodils represent new beginnings. (Rachel Adamson)... http://tonkanews.com/1728/entertainment/4-flowers-blooming-in-kansas-city/
Schaefer Wholesale Florist Launches New & Improved Website For Better Customer Experience
Monday, October 01, 2018Schaefer Wholesale Florist offers high quality florals and supplies for current and new clients in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. “SWF is continually seeking ways to fulfill our client’s needs with the highest-quality fresh-cut flowers, special event supplies, and more, and the new website does just that. With the new website, we not only expanded our customer reach with a clean, modern look, but deliver easy to access direct buying options that improve customer selection and offer expanding buying power with outstanding costs savings. In addition, we are excited about the new informational video tutorials on the new site.”- Sherry Schaefer, Buyer/Owner, Schaefer Wholesale Florist. The new website allows Schaefer Wholesale Florist to better serve their clients and continue the tradition of delivering the highest quality products with competitive prices. At Schaefer Wholesale Florist, the new site promises a fresh, up-to-date look that is easily navigated, to make selecting and purchasing the finest, freshest florals and accessories with value packed pricing, cost saving shipping solutions, and excellent service. Visit Schaefer Wholesale Florist (https://www.SWFlorist.com) today, experience the ease of the new client-centric website and find your favorite fresh florals and supplies! Bio: In 1958, Schaefer Wholesale Florist began providing stunning fresh cut flowers to florists, wedding and floral designers, retail and wholesale merchants, and special events planners. Their business has grown successfully due to guaranteed on-time delivery of premium fresh flowers and foliage to customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Today their longstanding tradition of quality, service, and value continues with the South American Direct Program, the Holland Fresh Cut Direct Program, Quick Buy online ordering, and Dutch-Direct Online/Ecommerce Auction. As always, Schaefer Wholesale Florist continues to meet their longstanding goal of delivering the freshest fresh cut flowers anywhere along with foliage, plants, supplies, and accessories. Source: Schaefer Wholesale Florist ... http://www.perishablenews.com/index.php?article=0070771
Agribusiness accolades: Grinter Farms featured in Country LIving; Next to Nature Farms in 435 Magazine
Tuesday, July 17, 2018Other fields making the list criss-crossed the country: Ohio, New Jersey, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Alabama, New York (2), Florida, California, Wisconsin, Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, North Carolina (2), Tennessee and Minnesota.Georgia had two fields on the list and, of course Grinter Farms wasn’t alone in the Sunflower State.The other is in Lyndon, which is south of Topeka on U.S. Highway 75.The Lyndon Leader 4-H Sunflowers are “organized and managed by the local Lyndon Leaders 4H Club,” according to Mattern. “This sunflower field in Lyndon, Kansas is open to visitors for photos and flower picking. Donations are accepted on site and are often donated to local charities, making this attraction well worth the visit.”To see the full list, go to countryliving.com.Next to Nature FarmThis month’s 435 Magazine features a story called “The Business of Bees,” which profiles Next to Nature Farm, a local operation just northwest of Tonganoxie.The farm, established in 2008, offers honey for food consumption, honey-based skin care products, fruit (apples, peaches, plums and pears) and eggs.Owner Chad Gilliland, an avid beekeeper, and his family have taken a “chemical-free” approach to their farm, as they do not use pesticides and rely on sticky traps and other means to combat insects.According to Sherry Kuehl’s story about the farm in her 435 Magazine feature, the Gillilands launched their Next to Nature line of skin products for the first time after extensive research between Chad and his wife.Current best-sellers, according to the story, are the Comfrey Salve, Healing Salve and lotion bars.“My wife and I did a ton of research on the medicinal and healing properties of natural herbs and essential oils,” Gilliland said in the 435 story. “We spent countless hours making sure that each and every ingredient component would work well and offer the specific medicinal properties we desired as well as the right natural moisturizing ingredient components that would complement the recipe.”After Friday’s Tonganoxie Business Association meeting, Gilliland told The Mirror that his family stays pretty busy throughout the year with selling at markets and other events. He also hopes to eventually open a store at the farm.To read the 435 story, visit 435mag.com. http://www.tonganoxiemirror.com/news/2018/jul/11/agribusiness-accolades-grinter-farms-featured-coun/
City florist set to bloom at floral Olympics in Philly
Tuesday, June 05, 2018Trending Stories “It’s a pretty big thing. I’m representing Canada in floral design,” said Paul Jaras of next year’s competition in Pennsylvania. “It’s like the most prestigious award you can win in the floral industry.” On March 17, Jaras placed second at the Pacific Northwest Cup in Vancouver. On March 23, he took home first place at the Maple Leaf Cup in Edmonton. “I’m having a lot of fun and doing well,” Jaras said. Those finishes qualified Jaras for the 2018 Gateway to the Americas Cup next month in Orlando and the 2019 World Cup of Floral Design — a.k.a. the floral Olympics — next February in Philadelphia, where he will be the lone Canadian competitor. Floral competitions, which are often hosted by wholesalers, involve each participant needing to interpret a particular category by using the same materials available to all competitors. They are then scored based on a variety of design elements from a 100-point sheet. “Many people have compared it to Master Chef, where you get a surprise package,” Jaras said. “We don’t know the flowers in advance. We might know them a half an hour before the competition. Sometimes we do know the categories in advance.” At the Maple Leaf Cup, Jaras and competitors from across Canada were as... http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/community/city-florist-set-to-bloom-at-floral-olympics-in-philly-1.23295348
Former White House Florist: State Visit Revealed First Lady Melania Trump's 'Formidable' Cultural Diplomacy - Breitbart News
Tuesday, May 01, 2018Emmanuel Macron, his wife Brigitte, and other guests.Dowling’s perspective on what unfolded inside the White House is one reserved for an insider. Dowling served as the chief floral designer at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue from 2009 to 2015. She’s also the author of two books; Floral Diplomacy at the White House and A White House Christmas.For Dowling, the state visit and dinner were not only an impressive show of what she calls “cultural diplomacy” but also a shining moment for first lady Melania Trump, who single-handedly planned every detail of the ceremonial meal.Dowling was so inspired, she wrote a commentary about it and shared it with Breitbart News.“For many observers, the diplomatic tour de force on display during this week’s France state visit was a master class in the subtle and fine art of international diplomacy,” Dowling wrote. “Even die-hard critics seemed to pause for a moment to admire the multi-faceted diplomatic itinerary that went off without a hitch.”Dowling noted that when the Macrons arrived at Joint Base Andrews, they were given a bouquet of purple irises — the national flower of France.“At the intimate state dinner, meticulously planned and executed by the first lady herself without a coterie of consultants and planners, guests reveled in the elegant setting of a candle-lit State Dining Room,” Dowling wrote. “In the manner of Jacqueline Kennedy, the first lady planned and executed an... http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/04/28/former-white-house-florist-statevisit-revealed-first-lady-melania-trump-formidable-cultural-diplomacy/