Branford, CT Florists

Branford Flower Shop News

Love in the time of coronavirus: Weddings postponed - The Advocate

Hope Looney, owner of JCakes bakery in North Branford, had to let her 10 employees go just to help preserve the business. “We were pushed into a corner in the blink of an eye,” she said. JCakes has been around nearly 30 years and in her 13 years running the business, she’s never had to consider layoffs. She’s had to cancel 40 orders that were scheduled for the next few weeks, but she’s just waiting for more to come, she said. Without large events happening, florists are another domino on the line taking a fall. “The floral industry isn’t in a good place right now — growers to retail, grocery and mass market is taking a hit,” said Nicole Palazzo of City Line Florist in Trumbull. Palazzo said the business has been slowing down, with fewer trucks making deliveries and the demand for flowers overall having decreased. With those canceled orders, if businesses can’t find another way to sell or re-purpose their products, they just have to eat the cost of it, she said. Palazzo said it’s crucial for businesses to examine their contracts to help ensure they’re not wiped out by cancellations. With so much uncertainty about how long these cautionary measures will last, businesses such as JCakes and City Line Florist are doing what they can to adapt. Both are offering no-contact pickups and delivery and trying to find new ways to market themselves. Looney said she shipped her first “quarantine cake” that says “wash your hands” to her friend, and she’s hoping she can do more of them. Antonecchia bought a JCakes sheet cake to get delivered to Yale New Haven Hospital to say “thank you” to the staff. Palazzo is encouraging customers to remember flower shops can help bring relief to some symptoms of social distancing and quarantine. “Right now, people don’t usually think of flowers, but there’s so many studies that sh... https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Love-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-Weddings-15152335.php

Fifty Years After Newark Burned, Gates Tell Story of Changing Landscape - TAPinto.net

Two downtown corners, one block apart, offer a dramatic example of how much Newark has changed in 50 years.On the corner of Halsey Street and Branford Place are two restaurants and two clothing stores, all of which have one thing in common: corrugated metal shutters, pulled down every evening after closing time. The gates were installed sometime after the civil upheaval in July 1967 that led to widespread looting of downtown stores and prompted shopkeepers – at least those that stayed – to adopt a bunker mentality.One block south near the corner of Halsey and Maiden Lane, the newly opened Tonnie’s Minis bakery in the recently completed Teachers Village looks more like a storefront in suburban Essex County, with a sign touting "world famous cupcakes." There are no gates to cover the expansive plate-glass windows.More than just a visual contrast, the two scenes offer evidence that Newark has finally emerged from the pall cast over the city after the riot that began on July 12, 1967 and lasted for five days.During the riot, looters smashed windows of shops throughout downtown and walked off with inventory – an image seared into...

North Branford Small Business Spotlight: Candi's Floral Creations - Patch.com

Business: Candi’s Floral CreationsOwner: Candice Milliard, Artistic DirectorWebsite: www.candisfloralcreations.comMore from North Branford PatchAddress: 2400 Foxon Road (Route 80), Town & Country Plaza, North Branford, CTWhy start a business in this town?I own a wedding and event floral studio in town. I live in this town and I wanted my shop to be close by. I do have a store front because I think it looks more established than working from out of my home, but it is by appointment only. Half of my shop is a showroom filled with vignettes of various wedding and event themes and where I meet clients. The other half is where I design.What’s the most difficult moment or challenge you’ve faced as a business owner?My business is seasonal and that can be challenging but I try to think outside the box to find extra income during the slow months. I offer holiday decorating for residential and business and will design for some holiday parties. I am spearheading a sidewalk sale August 27, 28 and 29 and all the shops at Town and Country Plaza will be having sales and promotions. If it goes well, we may do one every year.What’s been your favorite moment or proudest achievement since opening?I have been designing since I was 16 so over 25 years and have been designing weddings for about 20 ... http://patch.com/connecticut/northbranford/north-branford-small-business-spotlight-candis-floral-creations

Three Glamorous Gardens for Your Outdoor Wedding Celebration - Boston magazine

Elizabeth Park. Located in West Hartford, Connecticut, the scenic space encompasses more than 100 acres of land. Stop and smell the roses (and get hitched while you’re at it) in the historical Rose Garden, planted more than 100 years ago. Not to worry about refreshments: The onsite Pond House Café restaurant serves up fresh fare using ingredients from its very own vegetable and herb plot. Dine in a window-lined space that offers ample views of the park, then retire to the terrace to watch the sun set over the pond with your beloved. And don’t forget about dessert: The Pond House team will prep a tiered cake so you and your guests can end the evening on a sweet note.GUEST DIGSGet the party started with complimentary champagne at check-in at Delamar, a stylish space in downtown West Hartford. Guests can unwind at the hotel’s spa or grab a bite to eat at Artisan, the onsite eatery where executive chef Frederic Kieffer whips up seasonal dishes with ingredients from the restaurant’s garden.Photo by Haven PhotographyGREENER PASTURESSkip the florist and go right to the source at the Greenhouse at Highland Farm in Scarborough, Maine. A multigenerational family business, the flower farm added “wedding venue” to its impressive resume after the couple that owns it decided to host their own nuptials on the property, inspiring them to open it up to others who want to do the same. Walk down the aisle in the greenhouse, complete with a translucent roof and retractable walls, or say “I do” on the verdant lawn, surrounded by wildflowers. Once the cake is cut, sneak off to Legacy Grove, where the farm permits couples to carve their initials into one of the trees—and live out their teenage dreams in the process. Not ready for the night to end? Cozy up to the fire pit: a surefire way to keep the party going without catching a chill.REHEARSAL DINNERPour a pint and toast your guests at Nonesuch River Brewing, the first (and only) craft brewery in Scarborough. While you sip on IPAs and ales, dine on beer-battered Maine haddock in the semi-private, post-and-beam mezzanine space, which connects to... https://www.bostonmagazine.com/weddings/2020/11/30/new-england-gardens/

Audrey Cleary Bailey, 76, advocated for military families - Port City Daily

Cmdr. Navy Todd E. Bailey, and his wife, Anita, of Norman, Oklahoma, Deborah B. Stakelum, and her husband, Kevin, of Prospect, Kentucky, and Leigh Ann Cumberland, and her husband, Jeff, of Chaplin, Connecticut; and seven grandchildren, Ali, Tyler, T.J., Brigid, Molly, Eddie and Caelan. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, retired U.S. Navy Reserve Capt. Harry E. Bailey.At her direction, no local services will be held. A service and interment will be held in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Paws4People/Paws4Vets.Share online condolences with the family at Peacock-Newnam & White Funeral and Cremation Service. https://portcitydaily.com/obits/2020/11/30/audrey-cleary-bailey-76-advocated-for-military-families/

Flower shop among many businesses fighting to blossom - The Riverdale Press

That has sent Columbia delivery drivers throughout New York City, as well as New Jersey, Westchester County and Connecticut. Those are some tall orders, especially since social distancing requirements limits the number of workers allowed in the small shop. “We cannot have many people working in the store, so it has been busier for us,” Dennis said. “Most of the time it has just been my sister, myself and one worker. I have even been taking deliveries out myself.”Sales have dipped, but so have supplies in some cases. In late March, as many were trying to adjust to the “new normal,”  Columbia struggled to stock its flower inventory, both in quantity and variety. For example, one thing missing from the store’s offerings has been tulips. Fortunately, most flowers purchased from South America are still available, Dennis said. Pricing hasn’t changed much, but delivery costs have increased since the shop is going without its regular delivery staff.Flowers also are a crucial part of large events like weddings and baby showers. Yet, all events are now canceled or postponed. It’s unclear when they’ll return, but at least one customer found a creative way to repurpose her ordered flowers into a kind gesture.The woman had put together a sizable order for a baby shower, but ended up hospitalized with the virus that causes COVID-19. Fortunately, she recovered, Dennis said. She was so thankful for her recovery, in fact, she sent the flowers intended for her shower instead to the nurses who took care of her.Unfortunately, many small businesses aren’t having the same luck as Columbia, as the coronavirus shutdown languishes on. While many storefronts are shut because they’re deemed “non-essential,” those that can stay open operate at a reduced capacity. The big question is whether many of the now-shuttered businesses will be able to reopen once New York City is allowed to open its doors again. Some businesses — even essential ones — are choosing to stay closed with hopes of being around long-term, said Christopher Rizzo, a board member of the Riverdale Main Streets Association.“Some of these small businesses have such small profit margins to begin with,” Rizzo said. “So staying open when your revenues are cut in half does not make sense for a lot of businesses. They are choosing to stay closed so that they can stay open in the future.” Dennis says she’s thankful Columbia Florist can stay open in some capacity. She receives many calls from customers thanking her for the flower deliveries, especially to funerals, where a lot of people aren’t present. Says Dennis: “Having a flower there makes a big difference.” ... https://riverdalepress.com/stories/flower-shop-among-many-businesses-fighting-to-blossom,71820

‘Going to be insane:’ Mother’s Day flower delivery during a shutdown - CTPost

Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 71 Caption Close Image 1 of 71 A customer shops for flowers at Filanowski Farms on Wheelers Farm Road in Milford, Conn. on Thursday, May 7, 2020. A customer shops for flowers at Filanowski Farms on Wheelers Farm Road in Milford, Conn. on Thursday, May 7, 2020. Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media ... https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Going-to-be-insane-Mother-s-Day-flower-15256607.php