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BEHIND THE SCENES 

 IN THE FLOWER SHOP 



Much attention is given to artistic and attractive salesrooms in flower 

 stores. Corresponding consideration should he given to the arrangement 

 and equipment of the working quarters, which, though hidden from cus- 

 tomers' eyes, are as important to a successful store as the visible portion. 



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ORE than any other sort 

 of retail store, the flower 

 shop — or more precisely, 

 that part of it where sales 

 are made — is like a stage 

 ready for a theatrical per- 

 formance. The setting 

 must be attractive and 

 artistic, to enhance the 

 appeal of those for which 

 t is a background — actors or flowers. 

 rhis is no mere figure of speech; the 

 iiost successful florists have taken great 

 )ains and incurred much expense to 

 lave stores that are really beautiful to 

 ustomcrs' eyes. 



In the flower store, as in a theater, 

 00, there is a place where the work 

 s done on which the effect of what is 

 n front depends. The importance of 

 his part, either of the theater or of the 

 iowiT store, is not to be minimized. It 

 equires as much attention, though it 

 s unseen by patrons, as the more 

 howy part. In the theater this unseen 

 lortion is termed "behind the scenes." 

 In former days "behind the scenes" 



was a dark, dusty place, filled with 

 ropes and pulleys, drops and scenery 

 and "properties" of all kinds. The 

 advent of modern ideas and appliances, 

 as well as sanitation, changed it to a 

 place no longer uncomfortable and 

 gloomy. 



Likewise a change has been going on 

 in the similar region in the flower shop. 

 The close, crowded, untidy room at the 

 rear no longer can serve as office, work- 

 room and supply room for-the store with 

 a beautiful salesroom. As progress has 

 been made in one section of the store, 

 it has likewise gone on in the other. 

 Unfortunately, it has gone more slowly 

 "behind the scenes." 



Wide Variation 



To assist in the improvement of this 

 section of the flower store, the descrip- 

 tion of an arrangement that may be 

 termed ideal is scarcely possible. It is 

 not at all feasible without a good deal 

 of elasticity, for no two stores seem 

 to have just the same kind of quarters, 

 of just the same size, permitting the 



same sort of arrangement. But it is 

 feasible, and more helpful, to indicate 

 how some of the most successful florists 

 have laid out this part of the store and 

 to point out the considerations which 

 they believed to govern in their method 

 of arrangement. 



It is a general rule that every part of 

 the store save the salesroom should be 

 screened from the public view. The 

 sole exception is the cashier's cage, or 

 the cash register if you have not the 

 former. That exception is a matter of 

 necessity and one of wise policy as well, 

 for it is quite proper to keep in cus- 

 tomers' minds the idea that paying for 

 the flowers is an important, if not 

 ' ' the ' ' important, part of a sale. 



The oflfice of the proprietor or man- 

 ager should be in a place where he may 

 have quiet for thought on problems that 

 demand more concentrated mental at- 

 tention as the business grows. Yet the 

 oflBce should be where the guiding spirit, 

 be he owner or manager, is accessible 

 upon occasion. There are times when a 

 customer asks special service or wants 



When Your Barfness Requires an Office of ThU Sort, Yoa May Rank Yoarself as a Leadfng Florist. 



