Armstrong, IA Florists

Armstrong Flower Shop News

Man to be sentenced in Edmonton flower store owner’s mall death during robbery - theglobeandmail.com

Jordan Martin Cushnie, 25, pleaded guilty in May, 2019, to manslaughter in the death of Iain Armstrong. Mr. Armstrong had tried to stop Mr. Cushnie from robbing a cash box from a cosmetic kiosk outside outside Armstrong’s Bunches florist shop at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre a year earlier. On Monday, Justice Eldon Simpson sentenced Mr. Cushnie to six years in prison. Story continues below advertisement Justice Simpson said Mr. Armstrong, who was 61, fell down and hit his head on a corner of another kiosk after he was punched six times by Mr. Cushnie. Sharon Armstrong, who was married to her husband for 37 years, said in a victim impact statement during Mr. Cushnie’s sentencing hearing earlier Monday that the morning of April 17, 2018, was a normal one as her husband headed off to work at their family-owned business. “In a few hours, my world would collapse,” she said, explaining she received a phone call from one of their employees and immediately called her husband’s brother and business partner. When she arrived at the mall, she saw the building surrounded by emergency vehicles, she said. “I felt my heart drop,” she told court. She was diverted to the University of Alberta Hospital, where she was met by police and called her son and daughter to meet her. “We were all so scared and confused,” said Ms. Armstrong, who added that doctors started using words like “dire, ca... https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-man-to-be-sentenced-in-edmonton-flower-store-owners-mall-death-during/

Sign up to a floral subscription for fresh flowers at home every week - Daily Mail

We found that some customers wanted to send more than just a single bouquet, while others liked to regularly have flowers in their own homes,' says Rebecca Armstrong-Benson, floral specialist at the company.'It's easier and more affordable than buying a single bouquet every month, and our customers appreciate that.'Upmarket bouquetsIf you can't afford a florist to come to your home and arrange your cut flowers, the next best thing is buying from a high-end company, such as Lavender Green, which supplies venues including Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle.It has recently launched a premium service, where you can order enough flowers to fill several vases throughout your house, along with detailed notes about how to arrange them.'We have clients who entertain a lot and use the subscription to create beautiful table arrangements, some who often use the excess as gifts and those who have a real interest in interiors,' says Colin Gray, MD at Lavender Green Flowers (priced from £120 to £250 a month).Flowerbx deliver bouquets made up of a single variety of flower, direct from the growers (options starting at £45).'Grouping flowers in single varietal bunches makes it impossible to go wrong, so it's easy for the novice flower arranger,' says Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, the CEO and co-founder of Flowerbx. 'It is simple, elegant and lets the flowers be the stars.' Flowerbx deliver bouquets made up of a single variety of flower, direct from the growers (starting at £45, flowerbx.com)Cheap and cheerfulBloom & Wild, the online florists that shook up the industry six years ago with its letterbox-sized packaging, has services from as little as £20 a month (choose from packages ranging from three months of letterbox flowers to luxury hand-tied flowers on an ongoing basis).Meanwhile, Flowers by Flourish offer a subscription starting at £20 per delivery. While Freddies Flowers delivers big boxes of seasonal flowers for £24 each, to customers weekly or fortnightly.Eco-conscious cutsFor those who want an eco-option, there are subscriptions to suit.Florence Kennedy started her business Petalon by delivering all her bouquets around London by bike.It set the eco ethos for a business: while the service has expanded nationwide, the London orders are still delivered by bike, and for every 100 bouquets sent by post, a tree is planted. Petalon also donates 5 per cent of profits to bee conservation (from £38).Meanwhile, Appleyard London source a monthly, seasonal bouquet predominantly from British growers, use m... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-8080125/Sign-floral-subscription-fresh-flowers-home-week.html

Marigold harvest a gift to workers who have kept Mellano blooming for 50 years - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Oceanside, Carlsbad, Orange County and Las Vegas, it’s the largest specialty cut-flower grower in the nation, producing 6 million flower stems each year. In partnership with the Ecke family and Armstrong Nursery, Mellano & Co. also oversees the 40-acre growing and wholesale operations for The Flower Fields in Carlsbad.Michelle Castellano Keeler, the daughter of Battista Castellano, also grew up on the farm and today is the company’s corporate vice president. She and her cousin, Mike M., said the company has always had a heart for immigrant workers because of their family’s roots in Italy.During World War II when Japanese farmers in California were sent to internment camps, Giovanni Mellano purchased some of their L.A. farm properties and equipment for $1 and then stored everything for the internees until they returned after the war.At the Oceanside farm, Mellano & Co. offers onsite housing for its workers, some of whom have lived on the property for two generations. From 40 to 50 workers live there now, most of them were born in Mexican as well as a few Guatemalans and a family of Congolese refugees. Keeler said the idea for the worker housing came from her dad.“He was an immigrant himself and when we first moved here, he felt the way the Hispanic workers were treated was horrible so he built this area on our farm where they could live and be safe,” she said. Advertisement Taking care of workers is also smart business. Mellano said that 10 years ago, 50 people would show up to apply for five open jobs. Now, with the local unemployment rate at a historic low, just one person will show up to apply for five open jobs, and they may not even have the proper legal documentation to qualify. Giovanni and Maria Mellano with their sons Johnny, second from left, and Mike Sr. at their family flower farm in Artesia, Ca., in the 1930s. Their Mellano & Co. now farms more than 340 acres of flowers in Oceanside and Carlsbad.(Courtesy of Mellano & Co.) Beyond the labor shortage, growing flowers is an increasingly challenging business. The cost of water, electricity and equipment keeps rising along with competition from South American growers, who have significantly lower production costs.To adapt over the years, the company shifted its growing focus away from high labor-intensive crops like gladiolus and chrysanthemums to lower labor-intensive crops like myrtle, ruscus and other greenery. The company also expanded beyond the cut-flower trade into growing hemp, succulents and potted poinsettias and hydrangeas.The company has also invested in state-of-the-art equipment, like sensors that measure the amount of water in the soil to... https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/story/2019-10-27/marigold-harvest-a-gift-to-workers-who-have-kept-mellano-blooming-for-50-years

Flower Shuttle brings new life to used arrangements - WRAL.com

By Rick Armstrong, producer and Gerald Owens, anchor/reporterRaleigh, N.C. — Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, weddings and funerals keep many florists in business. When the heartfelt emotions that the flowers convey are over, it's typically time for the flowers to be carted off to the dump.Now, "The Flower Shuttle" organizers and volunteers delay that trip to the landfill so that those flowers have another chance to shine.Every Tuesday morning, Raleigh Moravian Church becomes a recycling center for those blooms that have yet to lose their full appeal."Nothing of potential value in the operation is wasted," volunteer Mary Currin explained as she pointed to buckets of flower tubes, rubber bands and preservative packets. "So we recycle the flowers plus the things that come with the flowers."Whether flowers come from florist shops or grocery stores, once they are past their expiration date, the blooms cannot be sold. Flower shuttle regulars are always ready to intervene and breathe new life into the... https://www.wral.com/flower-shuttle-brings-new-life-to-used-arrangements/18431878/

Sexual harassment, bounced checks, unpaid bills: Former employees level bevy of allegations against owner of shuttered Mission de Flores - Mission Local

Rubenfaer said. “I’m sorry if anyone felt that way, I just probably kind of say things without thinking anyone is going to care.”Mission de Flores in 2014.Kelly Armstrong, an attorney for the Armstrong Law Firm in San Francisco, has been litigating sexual harassment cases for nearly 20 years. After reviewing the allegations made by Rubenfaer’s former employees at Mission Local’s behest, she says that the behavior they describe could be considered sexual harassment under the law.Armstrong said in an interview that Rubenfaer’s alleged behavior comprises typical sexual harassment, which includes “grabbing different body parts such as breasts or someone’s behind, sending someone sexually tinged jokes, talking about your sex life, rating women in the office on a scale of 1 to 10 and telling somebody that you want to do sexual things to them.”McKinley and Gilman also said they heard Rubenfaer use racist terms at work. Both said... https://missionlocal.org/2019/05/sexual-harassment-bounced-checks-unpaid-bills-former-employees-level-bevy-of-allegations-against-owner-of-shuttered-mission-de-flores/

Sugar Flower owner creates intricate cake designs in backyard of her Cedar Rapids home - The Gazette

Sugar Flower was gaining momentum when the coronavirus pandemic hit Iowa. Smith’s work-from-home model proved an unexpected advantage.“I was just getting started out to begin with, and having a low overhead I didn’t have any employees to furlough,” she said. “It was disappointing, but I tried to work with my customers. I don’t have to worry about rent and electric and things like that. So it has worked in my favor, which sounds kind of funny.”Smith’s home and studio escaped serious damage in the Aug. 10 derecho, which brought its own wave of cancellations. She hopes for a return to something like normal next year.“I really hope people start planning big weddings and they’re celebrating,” she said. “I hope that’s where the future lies.”Know a small business in the Corridor that might make for an interesting “My Biz” feature? Let us know via michaelchevy.castanova@thegazette.com.AT A GLANCE• Owner: Jennifer Smith • Business: Sugar Flower Cake Design• Address: 248 Drinkward St. NW, Cedar Rapids• Phone: (319) 491-1938• Website: sugarflowercakedesign.com... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/sugar-flower-cakes-cedar-rapids-jennifer-smith-20201113

Some people using gardening as therapy during the Coronavirus Pandemic - KCRG

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Some people across Eastern Iowa are getting a green thumb during the Coronavirus pandemic. Workers at Pierson’s Flower Shop in Cedar Rapids say they have been getting calls about people wanting to start their gardens. Experts say getting some fresh air is a good way to take care of your mental health during the pandemic. Workers at Pierson's say gardening is a good way to be outside while social distancing. They say working with soil can be a form of connecting with nature. While seeing something bloom is a sign of life during these tough times. Workers say people are still ordering flowers to send to loved ones or coworkers. They say it's a way to let people know that they are appreciated. "I think it's very important to stay in touch,” said Al Pierson, owner of Pierson’s Flower Shop. “You can't get out... https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Some-people-using-gardening-as-therapy-during-the-Coronavirus-Pandemic-569918081.html

Benos Flowers and Gifts wants to bring fun, happiness - The Gazette

By Deborah Neyens, correspondent Long Para:0 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- IOWA CITY — A new Iowa City business aims to spread happiness.Long Para:1 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- Benito Ocampo Campos opened Beno’s Flowers and Gifts on Nov. 15 in downtown Iowa City, realizing a longtime goal to own his own flower shop. Long Para:2 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- “Flowers bring happiness, with their smell and their colors, when people receive them,” Ocampo said. “Everyone loves flowers.”Long Para:2 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- Ocampo, who grew up in Mexico, opened his first business in that country at the age of 19.Long Para:3 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- “It was a small gift shop — only about 300 square feet,” he recalled. “I did decorations with balloons for parties and a few weddings with flowers but not much. I had no experience.”Long Para:4 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- A year or two later, Ocampo moved to... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/iowa-city-benos-flowers-floral-shop-florist-flower-20190121

Benos Flowers and Gifts wants to bring fun, happiness - The Gazette

By Deborah Neyens, correspondent Long Para:0 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- IOWA CITY — A new Iowa City business aims to spread happiness.Long Para:1 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- Benito Ocampo Campos opened Beno’s Flowers and Gifts on Nov. 15 in downtown Iowa City, realizing a longtime goal to own his own flower shop. Long Para:2 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- “Flowers bring happiness, with their smell and their colors, when people receive them,” Ocampo said. “Everyone loves flowers.”Long Para:2 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- Ocampo, who grew up in Mexico, opened his first business in that country at the age of 19.Long Para:3 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- “It was a small gift shop — only about 300 square feet,” he recalled. “I did decorations with balloons for parties and a few weddings with flowers but not much. I had no experience.”Long Para:4 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- A year or two later, Ocampo moved to... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/iowa-city-benos-flowers-floral-shop-florist-flower-20190121