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The Florists' Review 



OCTOBEE 29, 1914. 



to it that he not only has a good supply 

 of baskets, but an adequate stock of 

 ribbons of the right character, widths 

 and colors. "The baskets of pompons 

 and singles are incomplete without the 

 use of ribbon. You cannot use wide, 

 heavy satin taffeta ribbon for these 

 baskets; the right article is the satin- 

 edged gauze or a light ribbon that will 

 be in harmony with the light, graceful 



character of flowers and receptacle. A 

 wide range of colors is useful. Of 

 course the width of the ribbon will de- 

 pend more or less on the size of basket. 

 The filling of the baskets is a simple 

 matter for any florist and the selling 

 will be 'equally simple if the window 

 and tables in the store make an attrac- 

 tive showing of them. But don't be 

 content with catching the eyes of the 



people who pass the store — catch tb.} 

 eyes of those who usually turn off your 

 street a block or two higher up. Do )t 

 by means of a neat ad in your leadiii^ 

 daily paper. Not the paper, necessarily 

 that importunes you hardest, but tie 

 one that carries, month after month, tie 

 most ads for other merchants who ar© 

 seeking the trade of the same class if 

 people you want to reach. 



RETAIL STORE MANAGEMENT 



WHAT THE LEADERS IN THE TRADE ARE DOING 



OUABANTEEING FLOWERS. 



Time was when a sale was a sale the 

 minute the flowers went out — now, with 

 many retailers a sale is not a sale until 

 the customer has been completely satis- 

 fied with the lasting qualities of the 

 flowers. True, there still are retail flo- 

 rists who do not willingly make good 

 on flowers they think are all right when 

 sent out, but one by one the better class 

 of stores have adopted the plan of ad- 

 justing complaints without a word ex- 

 cept an expression of regret that a mis- 

 hap should have occurred. They find it 

 pays, for most of their trade is regular 

 trade and any transient is apt to become 

 a regular customer if treated well. 



Penn, in Boston, long has followed the 

 practice of replacing flowers without 

 question in the few cases where stock 

 goes wrong; the rule has been, "The 

 customer always is right. ' ' But recently 

 Penn's went a step farther than most 

 florists as yet have cared to go in guar- 

 anteeing their work. A customer wanted 

 flowers for a Saturday wedding in the 

 Adirondacks. It was found that ship- 

 ment of the bouquets would have to be 

 made Thursday night to be in time. The 

 customer was loath to chance it; he 

 thought he would better order nearer 

 to where the flowers were to be used. 

 In order to get the business, Peun 's 

 agreed that the flowers need not be paid 

 for unless perfectly satisfactory at the 

 time of the ceremony. On this basis a 

 shower bouquet of valley, a maid-of- 

 honor bunch of roses and six brides- 

 maids' bouquets of roses were made up 

 Thursday and shipped for a Saturday 

 wedding. The customer's check came in 

 Monday! And it was $90. 



put into all boxes and packages of 

 flowers for some time. Now it is quite 

 rarely anyone wants flowers at my office 

 on Sunday. I think others could also 

 find a way to bring about Sunday clos- 

 ing. S. E. Muntz. 



BOSS BRAGG 'S NEW STOBE. 



The need for better and increased 

 facilities, brought about by the con- 

 cern's growing business, which has led 

 to the remodeling and enlarging of the 

 Rochester Greenhouses, has also led to 



NO LOSS IN SUNDAY CLOSING. 



In regard to Sunday closing, I should 

 like to give you my experience. I have 

 closed on Sunday now for nearly a year 

 and find it a success, even though I am 

 the only florist in my town to do so. 

 The other fellows keep open. Finan- 

 cially I have lost nothing, having made 

 possibly ten per cent more money, to 

 say nothing of the one day I have had 

 for recreation, etc. 



I will tell you how I arranged it. 

 Having decided to close, I advertised in 

 the daily papers several times to that 

 effect and had cards printed which read, 

 ' ' No delivery or sales on Sunday. Please ' 

 do not ask it," and "Closed on Sun- 

 day," which I placed back of my counter 

 and in the windows. 1 also had a num- 

 ber of little slips printed, duplicates of 

 the newspaper advertisements, which I 



A Spray on an Easel. 



the removal of the store of the Eochester 

 Floral Co. from its old quarters in the 

 Zumbro Hotel block to 119 South Main 

 street. Both of these enterprises are 

 under the control of Ross Bragg, at 

 Rochester, Minn., who has found the 

 hospital trade in that town a most profit- 

 able one. The store has been fitted 

 up tastefully and presents a pleasing 

 appearance. The white enameled trellis- 

 work hung with smilax which covers the 

 walls gives the place a distinctive touch. 

 Back of the salesrooms are offices and 

 workrooms, and in the cellar is a large 

 storage refrigerator. 



A noteworthy feature is the display 



window and its fittings. The window 

 is fitted with a moss pan bottom, in 

 which moss and pot plants are growing. 

 In one part of the window is a fountain 

 surrounded with rocks, shells and moss, 

 and containing several goldfish. The 

 display attracted much attention at the 

 opening of the store, at which a rose was 

 presented to each visitor. 



SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND IT. 



Too many florists who undertake to 

 advertise their facilities for delivering 

 flowers in distant places content them- 

 selves with a line: "Flowers telegraphed 

 to all parts of the world," or some 

 equally general statement. People don't 

 understand how it can be done and the 

 statement, being incomprehensible, falls 

 flat — it's an ad that doesn't advertise. 



But E. A. Richards, of Greenfield, 

 Mass., does it better; he tells the whole 

 story in his local newspaper, like this: 



TELEGRAPH^ DELIVERY SUCCESSFUL. 



Tlie Florists' Telegraph Delivery Association, 

 of which E. A. Richards, of the Sunny Dell 

 Gretnbouses, is a member, has been extremely 

 successful for the short time It has been in ex- 

 istence. The object of the association is becom- 

 ing known better all the time and as the peo- 

 l>le are becoming familiar with the beneflts to be 

 derived, members are receiving considerable 

 business. The idea is to call up Mr. Richards 

 when you want to have flowers delivered In any 

 town or city in the United States, or. In fact, 

 throughout tlie world. A member of the asso- 

 ciation is located in practically every town ami 

 city. After the receipt of the order by the local 

 florist, he telegraphs to the member in the town 

 where the flowers are to be delivered and the 

 order is carried out promptly and in a satisfai- 

 tory manner. Mr. Ri^ards has been doing u 

 jrood business in this \«iy, but hopes to Increast' 

 it during tiie coming year as the people beconie 

 acquainted with the Idea. 



If every florist stated so clearly the 

 way in which he "telegraphs" flowers 

 the business would grow much faster 

 than it ever has in the past, although 

 The Review now is carrying the cards 

 of nearly 300 florists who advertise that 

 they make a specialtj- of filling these 

 orders. 



MUMS ON EASEL. 



A spray does not show to the beb"- 

 advantage unless it is given proper di^ 

 play. The illustration is from a photo- 

 graph of a bunch of white chrysanthe 

 mums, Asparagus Sprengeri and chiffc 

 made by J. J. Beneke, St. Louis, the ef 

 feet of which is vastly better because o 

 its being staged on an easel. 



RETAILING AT WICHITA. 



The ten daj's from October 7 to 1' 

 were the busiest for several months fo' 

 the florists of Wichita, Kan. Durinp^ 

 that time the fourth annual "Wichita 



