Sepxgmber 10, 1914. 



The Florists' Review 



11 



THE 



UP-TO-DATE 3g 

 FLOWER STORE 



A place where there is no barrier between the salesperson and the 

 customer; where service is the seller's first and last consideration 



|0T in the remotest degree 

 does the salesroom of the 

 modern flower store resem- 

 ble the store of the early 

 days. "Counter jumper" 

 may still be fairly descrip- 

 tive of the dry-goods clerk, 

 but it does not fit the florist. 



In common with the proprietors of 

 high class specialty shops in other lines, 

 the up-to-date florist gradually has done 

 away with counters until today there is 

 no barrier between buyer and seller; 

 salesman and customer meet on a foot- 

 ing of equality. 



The Artistic Effect. 



The elimination of counters has been 

 the chief incident in the-wonderful im- 

 jirovement that has taken place, in the 

 last few years, in the general arrange- 

 ment and artistic effect of our modern 

 tlower stores. Not much is possible in 

 the way of artistic effect in a long, nar- 

 row room made still more conventional 

 by two rigid rows of continuous coun- 

 ters separating the sales people and 

 those they deal with. But when coun- 

 ters gave place to movable tables, and 

 the tables were ejected, one by one, 

 until few remained, then became easy 

 the fine decorative effects of today. 

 The ice-box for 



the display of cut 



flowers is as inevi- 

 tably a part of the 



modern flower shop 



as it was in the 



store of early days, 



but the counters 



have been displaced 



by a table or two, 



by chairs, desks, 



rugs, statuary and 



bric-a-brac. There 



is i^nty at open 



spa^ and, usually, 



plenty of mirrors, 



to heighten the ef- 

 fort. 



Demonstration. 



In the modern 

 flower store the flo- 

 rist gives a daily 

 "lemonstration of 

 'he decorative ef- 

 i''ets he creates, 

 'inon occasion, for 

 I'js customers. 



The florist is the 

 'lost fortunate of 

 'iiose who conduct 

 ^locialty chops in 

 ^'<it his merchan- 

 ''• -^e is decorative. 

 ^I*"' needs no ornate 

 fi'tureg and need 

 b. at 



pense for the wherewithal to make his 

 salesroom attractive. Indeed, a flower 

 store should not be too gay in its fit- 

 tings, as it would detract from the ef- 

 fectiveness of the merchandise instead 

 of adding to it. 



Careful Thought Demanded. 



Every detail of the fixtures must have 

 careful consideration to produce a har- 

 monious whole. From floor to ceiling, 

 from window to wall the treatment must 

 be well thought out. The difference be- 

 tween a well planned store and one that 

 "just happened" is the difference be- 

 tween the man who is clothed by the 

 careful tailor and the one who trusts to 

 the ready-to-wear — the effect may be as 

 good in one case as in the other, but the 

 chances are against it. 



From Parlor to Kitchen. 



The flower store floor is important. 

 So is the ceiling. And the walls. Light- 

 ing demands careful consideration. The 

 average florist chooses light colors for 

 his store. Although flowers show splen- 

 didly against a dark background, there 

 is a more cheerful atmosphere where the 

 lighter tones prevail. Good rugs are a 

 great help in creating an air of quiet 

 and refinement. 



no extra ex- Where Statuary^ Oriental Rugs and Bric-a-brac Take the Place of Gntnters. 



The salesroom of the modern florists' 

 establishment is more like a parlor than 

 a store. And, as no good housekeeper 

 would for one moment think of doing 

 domestic duties in the reception room 

 for guests, or permitting a view into 

 even the most immaculate kitchen, so 

 does the florist isolate his workroom. In 

 the best stores there is not even a 

 wrapping table in the salesroom — stock 

 sold from the display case must go into 

 another room to be wrapped up; there is 

 no paper or twine in the flower store 

 fiarlor. 



Of course the working facilities are 

 just as important as the show, in an 

 up-to-date flower store, but the two must 

 be absolutely separate and apart. The 

 workroom' of a well kept store that has 

 a modern front is as orderly as any 

 part of the establishment, but it is not 

 for the public to see. The workroom is 

 behind swinging doors that close them- 

 selves. 



At Penn's. ■• 



The accompanying illustration, show- 

 ing an up-to-date salesroom, was pre- 

 pared from a photograph of Penn's, in 

 Boston, that many will recognize as hav- 

 ing been made during convention week. 

 Originally the Penn business was con- 

 fined to this room, 

 but it outgrew it. 

 The store next door 

 was added. The 

 room in the illus- 

 tration now is used 

 exclusively as ' a 

 show room and a 

 salesroom. The only 

 commercial note is 

 given by the ice- 

 box, and by the of- 

 fice force at work 

 in the rear. All 

 making up, all 

 wrapping, every- 

 thing of a mussy 

 nature, is done in 

 the adjoining room, 

 the forward part of 

 which in this case 

 also has its ice-box 

 and its selling space. 



Show Window. 



Of course the 

 show window is an 

 important feature, 

 at Penn's as well 

 as at other up-to- 

 date stores. Penn 

 has two windows. 

 The one in the 

 salesroom, where 

 decorative display 

 is the aim, is han- 

 dled along harmo- 



