Bridgeport, CT Florists

Bridgeport Flower Shop News

New business to plant roots in Grafton - Mountain Statesman

Sometimes something comes up and you need a gift fast, or maybe you just don’t feel like traveling to Bridgeport or Morgantown to find something for someone,” Sturm explained. “It has always been a complaint of mine that we are always forced to travel out of town, and while the other shops in town are great, I wanted to add something a little different for individuals to choose from.”That, in part, led Sturm to set out on the adventure of owning her very own shop, a florist/wine specialty shop.Sturm is no stranger to the floral industry, having worked at Bloomer’s Florist previously. She said that the ladies she worked with were wonderful teachers and trainers, and she is ready to put her skills to the test.“I have always loved flowers and when I worked at Bloomer’s, I loved it. I was the happiest working a job that I had ever been,” she said.She said that after the loss of two dear friends at an early age in life, four to five years ago, it hit her that her time on earth was not promised and that she truly needed to follow her dreams because life really is too short.“I decided I wanted to open this shop. I figured, let’s just do it, what is the worst that can happen,” Sturm added.Sturm revealed that the process has been quick, but she is ready to get started.“I approached my husband Tom with the idea in August, and he was immediately on board and supportive. In October, I left my full-time job and I’ve been down here working in the store ever since,” she said.The Flower Market will have so... https://mountainstatesman.com/article/new-business-to-plant-roots-in-grafton

Mum dreams: Chico florist paying mum-ories forward

It’s officially mum season as Wise County schools celebrate their annual homecomings. Decatur, Boyd and Paradise celebrated last week. This week is homecoming in Bridgeport. Next week, Alvord and Northwest are up.Chico’s homecoming is set for Oct. 26 and Burgess, the owner of Chico Florist and Gift Shop, is readying to once again pay forward the memory she holds so dear to the lives of others.Burgess has spent the past 25 years making mums in Chico. Her passion for flowers and arrangements has touched the lives of students for years, with mums hanging on walls and immortalized in photos and memories.“It’s special,” she said. “I’ve seen generations.”Burgess said the mum game has changed over the years.When she was growing up, it was all about the fresh flowers. Now, it’s about silk, ribbons and trinkets.Currently, she’s building mums with fiber optics and lights. Some prefer teddy bears, others rock Dragons on their mums and garters.Burgess routinely goes to seminars to learn about the latest trends.Just like the football game that accompanies them, mums are a big deal in Texas.“I have people that come from other states and ask, ‘what is this mum stuff?'” she said. “It’s a southern thing, a Texas thing I guess.”Mum culture is real, and it varies by region in Texas and Wise County.Burgess said in Chico, students prefer their mums short and sweet. In Bridgeport and Decatur, the style is long and robust.“It really changes by the city,” she said. “In Bridgeport and Decatur, they hit the ground.”Burgess was a teacher at Chico High School for 41 years and taught floral arrangements. “I’ve always picked wildflowers since I was a little girl,” she said. “And I always dreamed of becoming a florist one day.”When the florist in Chico at the time was selling her business, Burgess received a call. Her childhood dream became a reality.She took over the shop with her daught... https://www.wcmessenger.com/2018/news/mum-dreams-chico-florist-paying-mum-ories-forward/

Mum dreams: Chico florist paying it forward

It’s officially mum season as Wise County schools celebrate their annual homecomings. Decatur, Boyd and Paradise celebrated last week. This week is homecoming in Bridgeport. Next week, Alvord and Northwest are up.Chico’s homecoming is set for Oct. 26 and Burgess, the owner of Chico Florist and Gift Shop, is readying to once again pay forward the memory she holds so dear to the lives of others.Burgess has spent the past 25 years making mums in Chico. Her passion for flowers and arrangements has touched the lives of students for years, with mums hanging on walls and immortalized in photos and memories.“It’s special,” she said. “I’ve seen generations.”Burgess said the mum game has changed over the years.When she was growing up, it was all about the fresh flowers. Now, it’s about silk, ribbons and trinkets.Currently, she’s building mums with fiber optics and lights. Some prefer teddy bears, others rock Dragons on their mums and garters.Burgess routinely goes to seminars to learn about the latest trends.Just like the football game that accompanies them, mums are a big deal in Texas.“I have people that come from other states and ask, ‘what is this mum stuff?'” she said. “It’s a southern thing, a Texas thing I guess.”Mum culture is real, and it varies by region in Texas and Wise County.Burgess said in Chico, students prefer their mums short and sweet. In Bridgeport and Decatur, the style is long and robust.“It really changes by the city,” she said. “In Bridgeport and Decatur, they hit the ground.”Burgess was a teacher at Chico High School for 41 years and taught floral arrangements. “I’ve always picked wildflowers since I was a little girl,” she said. “And I always dreamed of becoming a florist one day.”When the florist in Chico at the time was selling her business, Burgess received a call. Her childhood dream became a reality.She took over the shop with her daught... https://www.wcmessenger.com/2018/news/mum-dreams-chico-florist-paying-mum-ories-forward/

Four Floral Businesses To Receive The Century Award In Palm Springs

Charles borrowed a horse and wagon and sold flowering plants and cut flowers at the entrance of St. Michaels cemetery in Stratford, eventually opening up a storefront in Bridgeport, which sat on the city line of Stratford, leading to the name, City Line Florist. In 1975, Charles' son Bob and his grandchildren, Susan and Carl, decided to move to a new location in Trumbull, where they turned an old horse barn into a charming new florist shop. Bob received the Connecticut Florist of the Year Award in 2005. City Line, located in a quaint New England town of 30,000 people,  has been voted "Best Florist in Fairfield County" for several consecutive years and won the 2018 Small Business Success Award in Trumbull. They're a top 100 member of Teleflora and have received the Connecticut Business & Industry Association Family Business Award. The business is very active in the local community with churches, schools and area organizations. They are dedicated participants in SAF's Petal It Forward campaign. Today, Nicole Palazzo represents the company's fouth generation, helping to run the shop alongside her mom and uncle, handling daily work and bringing the florist to a new level with marketing and social media. Nicole has been named to Florists' Review's "Top 35 under 35" list and she is on the board of the Connecticut Teleflora Unit, president-elect of the Connecticut Florists Association and a founding member of the SAF Next Gen Floral Pros Facebook group. Gould's Flowers Lockport, New York In 1878 John H. Gould left his career as an English Gardener to come to America and planted his first crop of vegetables in Middleport, New York. From veggies, he later tried his hands at flowers. Calla Lilies being his first floral crop. It was his Son, John B. Gould who opened the first of the family's flower shops in Middleport, Albion and Medina. Then came the first location in Lockport, on Locust near Main St. The shop relocated to 83 Locust St. where Gould's has been servicing customers since 1952. John B. & Barbara Gould have spent years making the shop a family tradition. Their four children spent many years in the shop. Janet Gould, the youngest of the fourth-generation time-honored tradition, manages day to day operations of the shop. She works alongside her Mother, Barbara, Niece, Kylee (Gould) Peters (who is a fifth generation Gould) and loyal staff. Janousek Florist & Greenhouse Inc. Omaha, Nebraska Now... http://www.perishablenews.com/index.php?article=0069973

City Line Florist, local hospital honored at business breakfast - CT Post

She and her daughter who also runs the business, Nicole Palazzo, found out about the award when they arrived at the breakfast and saw the program. Herbst presented the Corporate Success Award to Bridgeport Hospital-Yale New Haven Health, noting that he was a patient there six months ago for treatment of thyroid cancer. “The services to the people in the region are second to none,” Herbst said.Nominations were submitted by members of the town’s boards and commissions and the Chamber of Commerce. From that pool, the Economic Development Commission selected two recipients, Bakalar said.The event included a presentation by Jason Broadwater, author of “Old Town New World: Main Street and More in the New Economy.”Broadwater spoke about creating the kind of community two key groups — Baby Boomers and Millennials — would attract and retain.“Productive people have to choose your community for it to be successful,” Broadwater said.Broadwater said Millennials prioritize affordable rental options while Baby Boomers want to downsize and move where their children live.Bakalar said she invited Broadwater to spe... http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/City-Line-Florist-local-hospital-honored-at-12318213.php

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

Florists Impacted by Coronavirus Restrictions - NBC Connecticut

Connolly.“This year has proven to be a bit of a challenge for obviousreasons,” said Leah Van Ness, the co-owner of the Montville Florist and thepresident of the Connecticut Florists Association.She says many shops are dealing with limited deliveries offlowers, as well as a drop in sales because of canceled events such as proms,weddings and graduations.“Florists are people who tend to be able to very quicklydevelop a new plan and way to make a challenging situation work,” said VanNess. Back in Wethersfield, Notaro says while some business hasdecreased, sadly there’s been an increase in people not being able to attendfunerals and choosing to send flowers instead. She’s run her shop for 11 years and says it was important tokeep it open, though only for curbside service and deliveries.“I felt flowers were a necessity. Everybody loves them,” saidNotaro.Many florists remain closed and some are just reopening forthis week. And they’re stressing deliveries and pick-ups will be non-contact to help ease any worries. ... https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/florists-impacted-by-coronavirus-restrictions/2267250/

‘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

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

Ginel doesn’t know when she’ll be able to wear the wedding dress hanging in her closet. She had planned her church wedding for May, but when the coronavirus started to spread in Connecticut, those plans changed quickly. “Everything is obviously emotional and disruptive, but we’re willing to work around whatever obstacles come our way,” Ginel said. “When you think about marrying someone, you think about the difficult times and it just so happens that our difficult time came before the wedding.” As of Sunday morning, the state had confirmed more than 225 cases in Connecticut and five people had died of COVID-19, which is caused by the coronavirus. In the past week, Gov. Ned Lamont has ordered all restaurants to close their dining rooms, limited any gatherings to 10 people or fewer and municipalities have closed public buildings, an end to all events, including weddings. House of worship also have stopped public services. At this point, Ginel and her fiance were just wrapping up the finishing touches to the big day — invitations had been sent, RSVPs ... https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Love-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-Weddings-15152335.php