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The Florists^ Review 



Decbmbkb 22, 1921 



Nothing Obstructs the Passer's View of the Elaborate Window Displays. 



For usually rent is high because the op- 

 portunity of getting transients' atten- 

 tion is greater. A store on the main 

 street sells more flowers than one on a 

 side street because of the mere fact that 

 its location brings its wares to the at- 

 tention of a greater number of persons. 

 Therefore, as a rule, the tendency of 

 florists is to select locations that are 

 prominent, for the advertising value 

 they i)ossess, and look with disfavor on 

 inconspicuous store sites. 



Since it follows that size aids promi- 

 nence — jjursuing the signboard idea — 

 as well as location, the shape of the 

 store has been afl'ected by the desire of 

 the florist to let his own wares act as 

 sales agents. Deep, narrow stores are 

 jiot so many as tlu'v used to be. They 

 are not thought desirable, unless they 

 are on a ciiruer, where, really, depth is 

 not depth, but added width, so far as 

 window space is concerned. Wide stores, 

 with lesser de])th allotted the sales or 

 show room, are becoming more numerous. 

 The rent is higher, but the display space 

 for flowers is much greater. Tlic passing 

 pedestrian or automobilist cannot fail to 

 sec that a florist is there. How many 

 times liave you passed an inconsjjicuous 

 store, or restaurant entrance, and had to 

 retrace your steps, because you were 

 thinking of something else and the front 



was not noticeable enough to draw your 

 attention? The florist in an inconspic- 

 uous i)lace may save on the rent, but ^e 

 must advertise strongly to make people 

 come look for him. 



New Des Moines Store. 



f » 



New stores opened recently by florists 

 have indicated that the number of them 

 is increasing who recognize the comple- 

 mentary relations of rent and advertis- 

 ing items in the retail florist's budget. 

 The illustrations on this and the preced- 

 ing page show one of these stores. This 

 was opened December 1 by the Kirk- 

 wood Floral Co., at Eighth and Locust 

 streets, Des Moines, la., and called forth 

 comment from many jirominent business 

 men in that district. Tlie store froiits 

 twenty-two feet on Locust and sixty-six 

 feet on Eighth. It is as a "house of 

 glass," for in every foot of frontagp on 

 ])oth sides there is glass, which affords 

 the passers-by — ami there are many of 

 them — an o]))iortunity t(» see flowers, 

 enjoy them, and feel a desire for them. 



The abundance of flowers kept in 

 stock is also worthy of comment, and as 

 one passes there is made a strong impres- 

 sion, best described as that of an exten- 

 sive flower garden. The store itself is 

 not elaborate and in no way distracts 

 from the natural inherent beauty of 



flowers. The fixtures are finished in 

 ivory. The room is decorated with 

 stippled walls with Tiffany edging. The 

 white and blue tile flooring is striking. 

 The somewhat unusual icebox, fifteen 

 feet long and five feet high, the con- 

 tents of which are in full view of the 

 pedestrianfj^ives every opportunity for 

 disjilay. Aj5ove all things, the store is 

 ]iractical. The balcony, which covers 

 one-half the area of the salesroom, holds 

 the office and storerooms for packing 

 materials, As well as being highly use- 

 ful, the balcony softens the outlines of 

 the store because it avoids the effect of 

 a high ceiling. The store is made fur- 

 ther attractive by novel fixtures and an 

 extensive line of baskets, including some 

 handsome new patterns manufactured 

 Irv' the A. L. Bandall Co., Chicago. Much 

 is • said at this time about creating 

 flower-buyers. It would be difficult to 

 find any medium more powerful than a 

 store of this kind to instill in the 

 gi^neral public the desire for flowers. 



The lay-out of this store is not a mere 

 accident, as will be seen by reviewing 

 the history of the Kirkwood Floral Co. 

 Ii> September, 1916, Ray Holt, with a 

 partner, opened the Kirkwood Floral 

 Co., in the lobby of the Kirkwood hotel. 

 The space there was slightly larger than 

 the main icebox of the present store. 

 Soon afterwards the business was large 

 enough to warrant a store opposite the 

 Kirkwood hotel, on a corner. During 

 its existence at this place Mr. Holt 

 bought out his partner and has since 

 been greatly assisted by his wife. This 

 corner store was always kept attractive 

 and created many flower-buyers. In this 

 way Mr. Holt realized the advisability 

 of a corner location and he kept his 

 eyes open until the store shown here, 

 which is the corner of the Des Moines 

 Club building, came to his notice and 

 was available. December 1 the new 

 location was occupied and congratula- 

 tions were received from a host of 

 friends. The Kirkwood Floral Co. owns 

 its own greenhouses, where it grows 

 principally pot plants and miscellaneous 

 cut flowers. 



Marion, Ind. — Edward Siebrecht has 

 placed an order with Buchbinder Bros., 

 Chicago, for a large refrigerator, to be 

 finished in light gray. 



Hugo, Okla.— Mrs. John K. Meffert is 

 starting in the florists' business here. 

 For some years she was in business as 

 the Rogers Greenhouses, at Rogers, Ark. 

 She has had an excellent fall season here, 

 her chrysanthemums having a splendid 

 sale at good prices. 



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ti"'i I fit''ifc ii' . 



If One Computed the Value of Signboard Space in this Location, These Windows Would Show Their Worth. 



