.Ii i.Y lo, 1911. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



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i 



I THE RETAIL 



l^^^^^ FLORIST 



1 



■i'^r^t'-y 



STOKE FITTING AND SEFITTING. 



An Average Store. 



Wo aio not siieakiiig' in tliis idinioc- 

 tioii of tile most expensively fitted 

 stores, witli jnarble linisliinjj aiul otiiei 

 special feature's created for an oet-a- 

 sional splendid place. Neither are \\i' 

 speaking' of the smallest and cheapest 

 stores, but of a j,n)od, average shop in 

 an average city, as stores of this class 

 liandle the Inilk of the tradi^ and tlieir 

 output sets the standard of work. 



In selecting a store room, one whicii 

 has a front room space about twice 

 as long as wide is as well proportioned 

 as can usually be fouml. Its width will 

 not app(\ar cramped and the length will 

 h'ud a retreating depth to a fair dis- 

 tance. ]Iaving planned for a wail and 

 \voodwork linish whicli incdudcs imt a 

 decorate<l wall, but a neutral back- 

 ground for decorations, let us lool< to 

 tlie other features — the eiitranc(>, the 

 window, the up and ilown stairs, 

 utlicc! space, the partitiijn and tlie 

 maneiit cases. 



Entrance and Show Window. 



the 



The entrance and the window form a 

 ;;ood h.alf (tf the attractiveness or unat 

 tractiveness of the store. Jri the greater 

 percent.age of cases tlie error is made 

 of luning the entrance in the center 

 and a window on each side. Frecpiently 

 these windows are too narrow for any 

 i'lfective display. Have every available 

 foot of lloiir space in the one window, 

 ^vith th(> entrance, on on(> or lioth siib>s, 

 llush with the back of the windnw or 

 what would C(irrespon<l with the back 

 <if the window. \\'itii tlo' entraiici' set 

 back \ou have additional window space 

 thrown open to the street, and abo a 

 more iiniting entry. Tilass to the lloor, 

 in window and door, is now a necessity 

 in tasteful store fronts. In other words, 

 throw your whole store open to view 

 from the street. No more window sills 

 (ir seats or sliehes. 



.V good Irnnt on a poor buildiia', is 

 better than a common entrance to a 

 well constructed building. These ini- 

 pro\ements not only make a more spa- 

 cious ;nul accessilde win<low, but a moie^ 

 spaciiMis stdie; and a deep or !<hallow 

 space m:iy be use(l for the window dis- 

 play. ;(s oi-casion requires or whim de- 

 ma nd>^. 



The Window Floor — or Floors. 



If jpossible have two lloors foi' the 

 window — one of cement behiw, with 

 w.ater su]iply and drainage, for water 

 scenes and Idr conxeiiience in spraying 

 and watering plants, washing the glass. 

 etc. Plants may be massed in hen' and 

 no jiots will show. The upper floor may 

 be made in sections and easily removed 

 and rofdaced o\<m' the cement floor. The 

 up|ier tloor slionM bring the window liis- 

 ])lay on a level with the lower edge 

 of the gl.ass. 



The only pc^rm.anent featur(> in the 



Wa\' of ;i window ;iCcesso|-\- should be 



the mirror, in case one sidc^ of the win- 

 dow is against a wall. 



A'arious schemes have been used for 

 the to}) of the window, Ijut none have 

 proven entirely satisfactory. Ivicli 

 change in the window displ.ay should, 

 as a general rule, have its own top 

 decoration, although the same one may 

 often be carried through several dec- 

 orat ions. 



Stairway and Balcony. 



Another ]i(>rmanent feature that 

 should be carefully planned is the stair- 

 way or stairways.; .\ cellar entrance, 

 instead of lieiiig hidden, ought to lie 

 nuHle an attractive feature. If a bal- 

 cony can be liuilt, it will lie found 

 many times worth its cost in the added 

 storage cap.-icity whi(di it will afford, 

 besides its \alne as a liackground for 

 decoriiti(ms. There is scarcely a home 

 that is to lie decorated where an open 

 stairway does not present itself, tempt- 

 ing your imaginatiim to employ its best 

 etforts. .\ stairway, then, in the store 

 I'an be kept decorated and will serve ;is 

 ii diMiioiistrat ion for customers; the s.ame 

 use. also, can be made of the balcony 

 railing. .\ii extension of the design of 



1 1 



ma 



il. 



Ih( 

 a ^ 



u 1 1 g 

 o\ or 



(• where 

 jiart of 



A Separate Workroom, 



Tailing into consideration the adver- 

 i.ig aihantages gained by (bung tlh- 

 up w heir cuslomers may see 

 aga iiist t 111' a ppca ra nee of a 

 mil woik i-; done, it seeiii- 

 bettcr iiidgnienl to have 

 laiate workroom. It is true that 

 wdik in process ol' making up is S(mii' 

 thing ol' an attrariioii io customers, 

 but it is ;ilso true that pieces exhibiti'd 

 III a hall' linished state are shown to a 

 disadvantage, and the cc)nse<pu'nt litter 

 detracts fr(un the general appearance 

 to a greater extent than the advertisiii;^ 

 is helpful. 



The disi-ussion of this subject will be 

 continued in a fiit'ire issue oi' the paper. 



(J. 1'.. 



FLOWER STORE EQUIPMENT. 



With increased use of .accessories, 

 sn(di as ribbons, baskets, jiirdinieres, 

 corsage shiidds and pins, a change in 

 llower store fi.xtures becomes necessary. 

 The store of yesterday had bare walls, 

 sa\c for the space occupied by ice- 

 box and mirrors. 'I'lie store of today 

 has wall cases for ribbons .and other 

 reipiisites, and the store of tomorrow 

 doubtless will contain still better pro- 

 vision for their display. indeed, .al- 

 ready in a few flower sli()[(s flowers ;iro 

 not the only things s(d^l at a profit. 

 One Chicago tlorist has fitted up the 

 rooms abo\t' his store for the displa\' 

 of the dishes that so assist the sale 

 of pbants, and another has used the 

 store ,ad,kj»uing, furnishing it attract- 

 ively and stocking it with articles in 

 cliin;i, pottery and cut glass that ap- 

 |ical so strongly to ]ieople with cub 



Display Cases For the Florists' Supplies. 



the stairway and b.alcony r.ailing may 

 be used as a railing for the cellar way. 

 If the stairway affords it, arrange a 

 co/.y corner and customers' desk under 

 the b.alcony or landing. .\s a rule, the 

 stairway sliouhl not occupv a promiiK'iit 

 jdace in the front of the store. It 

 should juesent .a side ratlier than a front 

 \ iew to the eiii ranee. 



turi'd taste and obes(> pocketluioks. In 

 I'.oston, more than one llower store is 

 really a setting for the attractive dis- 

 play of Itali.aii pottery- and those who 

 ,old tlies(^ lines to flower scdiing seiMii 

 to adil to them year by year. 



The average llower store will for 

 now be content with a moderate stock, 

 sueh articles as may be sold with 



