Local Flower Shop News
N.J. communities mourn those lost to COVID-19 with flowers and memories - NJ.com
Wednesday, March 31, 2021Passaic EMT.At each location, including a Passaic fire station and Anthony E. Russo Park in Union, family and friends eulogized their loved ones and laid a flower for them, said Amanda Elisca, the florist who coordinated the events across the state.The effort is part of the Floral Hearts Project, a nationwide initiative pushing for an official national day of morning for those lost to COVID-19, said Elisca. As of Tuesday morning, there were more than 100 hearts laid out across the country, she said.But for Elisca, the push to bring the memorial to New Jersey was more personal. Her father, Cesar Perez, an EMS supervisor in Passaic, was a mentor and longtime friend of Israel “Izzy” Tolentino, the Passaic firefighter who died last March from the coronavirus, and a friend of Kevin Levia, an EMT in Passaic who also died from the virus.The day of mourning was for those who were left behind, missing their loved ones and in need of a way to express their grief a year later, she said.“These people don’t have anyone to reach out to,” said Elisca. “Usually if you lost someone you can get a hug from a friend. And we can’t do that now. Even a year into the pandemic, it’s even more important for us to reach out to people and to do these types of things.”In Passaic, mourners gathered at the West Side Fire Station, remembering Tolentino and Levia. Both Perez and Tolentino’s wife, Maria Vazquez, were at the event, with Vazquez laying flowers for her husband and Perez in full uniform remembering his friend he’d call, “Nudge.”“It was very, very emotional at the firehouse,” said Perez. “There had to be 100-something people.”In Union, mourners gathered at Anthony E. Russo Park,... https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/03/nj-communities-mourn-those-lost-to-covid-19-with-flowers-and-memories.html
Belvedere Square's Dutch Floral Garden to close permanently - - Baltimore Fishbowl
Wednesday, March 31, 2021Dobbe-Maher, who is from the Netherlands, moved to Baltimore in the 1990s when she married. Long before she opened her shop, she trained under European master florists in the Netherlands, Germany and England, and brought to her designs a distinctive European aesthetic.She told one customer today that she plans to move to Holland, but not before saying goodbye.“I would like to invite all of my customers to come and give me the opportunity to thank you for all you did for me and my business,” she wrote in her Facebook letter.“We may not be able to hug, but we can smile at each other above our masks. My eyes will tell you that I will miss my flowers a lot, but I will miss you the most.”All merchandise at the store, including display fixtures, is on sale at 40 percent off until the closing on Thursday. Susan Gerardo Dunn is the founding editor and publisher of Baltimore Fishbowl.Latest posts by Susan Dunn (see all)Share the News... https://baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/belvedere-squares-dutch-floral-garden-to-close-permanently/
Jasmine Rae Floral Design offers flowers and more at new main street shop - Eagle News Online
Wednesday, March 31, 2021I can’t wait to gain more over time.”Born in Syracuse, Rae moved to southern California with her mother at the age of four, returning to CNY each year to visit family and friends.The florist discovered her interest in design at the age of 20 while working at a beachside hotel in California.“We would receive a beautiful floral arrangement for the lobby weekly, and something just clicked in me that designing was something I wanted to pursue,” she said. “From there I traveled to LA and San Francisco, taking course after course on designing and also working in shops and design studios. Over the past 10 years I’ve lived in four different states, always with the same career and end goal in mind.”After deciding to settle down in Central New York to be near her family, Rae began searching for a perfect location to open a shop.“I found it here, in the heart of Cazenovia,” she said. “The amount of creativity and support in this community is so inspiring and something I am very excited to be a part of.”For more information, visit the Jasmine Rae Floral Design Facebook page, or call 315-815-5043. Related ... https://eaglenewsonline.com/new/business/2021/03/15/jasmine-rae-floral-design-offers-flowers-and-more-at-new-main-street-shop/
After the shooting, a boy gave flowers to workers at King Soopers stores near the attack - The Washington Post
Wednesday, March 31, 2021He purchased dozens of carnations in a variety of bright colors and paid for them with money he earned from dog-walking. When JJ told the florist his plan to give a flower to every store employee, she offered him a generous discount.That’s when he turned to his mother and excitedly said, “kindness is spreading!” Witmer recalled.They did several laps around the supermarket and handed out one flower to every employee. With each flower, JJ shared an earnest message.“We just wanted to let you know you’re appreciated. Thank you for being here today. It must be hard,” he said to each employee.“At first, I was a little bit timid because I wasn’t sure how they would react,” JJ said.But then he saw that employees instantly responded with overwhelming gratitude.“They were really thankful. Lots of them were crying and giving me first bumps and air hugs,” JJ said. “It made me feel so good. I was filled with joy and happiness.”While chatting with the store employees, “they said they were kind of scared to go do their job,” JJ added. “I think we made the right decision because it made a lot of people feel good.”Although Witmer followed closely behind her son, “I just stood in the background and let him do his thing,” she said. “This was his idea, and I was just there to support him.”After about 45 minutes in the store, they moved on to another King Soopers location in Reunion, a community in Commerce City, which is where the Witmer family usually gets their groceries.“We know most of the employees there,” JJ said.He purchased three dozen red roses that the store’s florist also offered at a heavily discounted price. Again, he circled the supermarket, handing out flowers to every employee in sight.“He even waited for a staff meeting to end so he wouldn’t miss anybody,” Witmer said.Marsha Esparza-Barnabe, 58, who works in the pharmacy at the Commerce City King Soopers, was surprised when JJ approached her with a rose.The atmosphere in the store was “very somber,” she said. “Everybody was talking about [the shooting], and it was just very sad. It could have been our store.”Then JJ appeared, rose in hand.The small gesture of kindness was so overwhelming, Esparza-Barnabe said, that “I actually turned and walked to the back and cried.”Not far away, in the baking aisle of the supermarket, Zerelda Todd — a King Soopers employee of 46 years — was on her knees, stocking the shelves with tubes of frosting.“All of a sudden, I heard this quiet voice go ‘Ma’am,' ” Todd, 64, said. ... https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/03/25/king-soopers-shooting-flowers-colorado/
Okanagan florists busy during pandemic, some busier than ever | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source - iNFOnews
Wednesday, March 31, 2021COVID-19 pandemic has brought hard times onto some local businesses, Okanagan flower shops are busy — some say even busier than ever. The period around Easter and Mother’s Day is typically busy for florists, and despite current circumstances, this year is no exception. At Burnett’s Florist in Kelowna, business has been steady. “Our Easter was more busy than it usually is, and we’re hoping Mother’s Day is the same," florist Galena Clancy said. Kelowna’s Funky Petals, Harris Flower Shop in Vernon and Newell Flower Shop in Kamloops are all busy during the pandemic as well. "I think it's mostly because people are kind of communicating from a distance with flowers," Clancy said. Harris Flower Shop's Brenda Gedaschke says that many of her customers want to send flowers for birthdays, or just to cheer people up. Florists have shifted to accommodate current public health orders, offering online ordering and contactless delivery. Harris Flower Shop has even installed an honour bar outside their store, where customers can pick up arrangements and leave money in a locked collection box. “(The honour bar) has been spectacularly well received,” said Gedaschke, adding that there has only been one customer who didn’t leave enough money for their bouquet. The real challenge during the pandemic has been getting flowers from suppliers, Gedaschke said. "At this point everything is limited,” she said. “A lot of the import stuff, up until recently,... https://infotel.ca/newsitem/okanagan-florists-busy-during-pandemic-some-busier-than-ever/it72772
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