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SIDE LINES HELP xt 

 X RETAILERS' SALES 



^N}iile the retailer is, and should be, primarily a dealer in cut flowers and 

 plants, there are some accessories that go with the trade and have a rightful 

 place in the florists' stores, where they are found not only profitable, but 

 material aids in getting and holding customers. 



HE expression "painting 

 the lily ' ' has become 

 man's verbal method of 

 decrying any attempt to 

 improve on the beautiful 

 in Nature. There are, 

 nevertheless, many things 

 which will enhance that 

 beauty without altering 

 the original. Nature, her- 

 self, has done this same thing by giving 

 flowers a background of green, making a 

 striking and, at the same time, harmoni- 

 ous contrast. 



Development of the florists' art has 

 taught the trade the truth of these state- 

 ments. The unsightly pot has been pro- 

 vided with a covering which harmonizes 

 with the stock the pot contains; plants 

 are arranged in baskets and many other 

 methods have been devised to give 

 proper and artistic settings. 



The same is true of the modern meth- 

 ods of handling cut flowers. The addi- 

 tion of greens to the bouquet was 

 merely following Nature 's idea, but the 

 ribbon or chiffon touch has been added 

 by the florist, he taking care to use 

 only such colors as will contrast, but 

 make a harmonious whole. 



These improved 

 methods of the re- 

 tail trade have 

 brought to the flo- 

 rist some profitable 

 side lines. While 

 the store is, and 

 should be, devoted 

 primarily to the sale 

 of cut flowers, pot- 

 ted plants and 

 greens, he now car- 

 ries many acces- 

 sories. 



Add to Profits. 



They are profit- 

 able, aside from 

 what their sale nets 

 him, in that they 

 add to the attrac- 

 tiveness of his store, 

 draw a better class 

 of trade, which 

 means larger sales 

 checks, and finally, 

 but far from the 

 least important, 

 send into the home 

 of the purchaser or 

 recipient something 

 from his store of a 

 permanent charac- 

 ter, which is a con- 

 stant renteder of 



liim and the flowers he offers for sale. 

 The accompanying illustration shows 

 the window display of art pottery, made 

 by the Jones-Eussell Co., Cleveland, O., 

 in one of its two stores. While the pot- 

 tery, fancy vases and other novelties 

 are, as they should be, side lines with 

 this company, their sale has developed 

 into an important part of the business. 

 Recently it was necessary to enlarge and 

 fit up the store basement as a salesroom, 

 wherein is carried a large assortment of 

 these wares, always attractively dis- 

 played. 



Vases Create Flower Sales. 



In this window display the Jones- 

 Russell Co. features a single line of pot- 

 tery, consisting of vases, high and low- 

 bowls, twig sticks, flower holders and 

 wall vases, but a great variety of high 

 class ware is handled. It will be noted 

 that while the vases and bowls are ar- 

 tistic in design, they are not highly 

 decorated. They provide attractive re- 

 ceptacles for the flowers and do not de- 

 tract from, but rather accentuate, the 

 natural beauty of the blooms. 

 • There are two reasons why a customer 

 buys a vase. One is that he desires such 



The Joncs-Russell Co., Qcvdand, Finds Pottery Attract/ve and Profitable. 



a vase in his home; the other is to make 

 of it a gift. 



Let us follow that vase ; first, into the 

 purchaser's home. 



If, when he buys the vase, he also 

 purchases a dozen roses, say, he takes it 

 and the flowers home and installs them 

 in a conspicuous place. For vases are 

 not bought to be kept out of sight. 

 There it stands, after the flowers have 

 gone, a constant challenge and delight 

 to the eye and at the same time a remin- 

 der of flowers. It may be compared to 

 a handsome frame with the picture 

 lacking. 



What is more natural than for the 

 owner, when he thinks of flowers, to 

 remember the florist from whom he pur- 

 chased the vase? Thus the vase be- 

 comes not only a joy to the purchaser, 

 but a representative of the florist in 

 that customer's home. It would be a 

 logical conclusion that the vase has 

 made a steady buyer for the florist. 



Gifts of flowers are expressions of 

 sentiment. When the gift flowers are 

 accompanied by an artistic and appro- 

 priate receptacle, such as a vase, the 

 latter, being more or less permanent, 

 continues to express that sentiment long 



after the flowers are 

 gone. Just so long 

 as the vase lasts, it 

 is a reminder of 

 someone. And, in 

 this case also, what 

 is more natural 

 than to associate the 

 source of the gift 

 with the gift and 

 the giver f 



' ' Harry got it for 

 me at the Jones- 

 Russell store," 

 would be a natural 

 way of expressing 

 this association. 



Is Creative. 



Here, too, the 

 vase is a constant 

 invitation to its 

 owner to buy flow- 

 ers to refill it. Thus 

 it helps, not only 

 the seller, but the 

 whole trade. 



The artistic abil- 

 ity of the florist ia 

 constantly develop- 

 ing new ideas in the 

 handling of flowers. 



Not only is he de- 

 signing work, but 

 he is giving his 



