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Top Shops: SUPERmarket Florist
How Jane’s Floral Dreams makes it work |
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Written by Amanda Ryder
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When shoppers come to Jane’s Floral Dreams in Saskatoon, they have the opportunity to not only feed their soul with flowers but also to feed their bodies. That’s because the shop is located in a local grocery store, in the midst of daily staples like bread, milk and eggs. It’s here that the full-service, professional florist delivers shoppers beautiful flowers, with a personalized touch, in an unlikely setting.
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The Saskatoon Co-op attracts 13,000 shoppers weekly, meaning Jane’s Floral Dreams receives a high volume of walk-by traffic.
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The relationship between the supermarket and the florist is one that
came about seven years ago, after Jane’s Floral Dreams had operated for
two decades in its own location. Owner Lyle Hessdorfer saw the
agreement as the perfect opportunity to grow his business and reach a
larger customer base – and the move has paid off for the shop.
The florist was originally opened in 1982 by Lyle’s mother, Jane, and
was aptly named for her lifelong dream to open a flower shop. Through
the years, the shop has undergone many changes and the business has
been passed down to Hessdorfer, who is now its sole owner. The
day-to-day operations resembled that of any flower shop until the
Saskatoon Co-op came to the city in 2003. The grocery store announced
that it was on the hunt for a professional florist to set up shop
inside the store and Hessdorfer submitted a proposal for Jane’s Floral
Dreams. After approximately eight months of negotiations, the florist
won the contract.
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At a Glance
Company Name:
Jane’s Floral Dreams
Location:
Saskatoon
Owners:
Lyle Hessdorfer
Facility Space:
843 square feet
Website:
www.janesfloraldreams.com
Years in Business: 27
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Since then, Jane’s Floral Dreams has been located inside the grocery store, a spot Hessdorfer never thought he’d occupy. Through the arrangement, the florist operates independently, has its own storefront and has a separate entrance alongside the grocery store. Hessdorfer has control over which products he offers shoppers and how he runs his business.
The florist, which employs one designer and two part-time employees, caters to Saskatoon’s flower-buying population seven days a week. The florist is open for business from Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. When it comes to product selection, Jane’s Floral Dreams offers a large inventory of fresh flowers, tropical plants, giftware, gourmet food and fruit baskets, and candles. It covers everything from traditional style designs to European and high-style arrangements.
The nature of the grocery store setup means Jane’s Floral Dreams has to be prepared to serve a great variety of customers and cater to their diverse styles. Staff try to always have grab-and-go designs in the $25 to $30 price range for shoppers seeking impulse flowers at a good price. The shop’s cooler is often stocked with designs in a range of styles to inspire both new and old customers to try something different. With the shop’s unique location, it’s all about finding a balance.
Hessdorfer says in an average week the Co-op attracts 13,000 shoppers, meaning the shop receives a high volume of walk-by traffic. Some of these people are also repeat visitors who expect to see something different each time they come in. As a result, Hessdorfer tries to keep the shop windows looking fresh. “We have two window displays and we change them for the seasons. We try to change our cooler look at least once a week just so the displays don’t get stagnant and people don’t keep seeing the same thing,” says Hessdorfer. “We definitely make sure we switch them up after at least three weeks because, after the third week, people have been here a few times.”
In addition to lots of walk-in traffic, the florist also benefits from the Co-op’s marketing. Flyers advertising the florist and its specials are stuffed into the grocery store’s bags to entice customers who go in for their weekly grocery stop.
While Jane’s Floral Dreams doesn’t dabble in the wedding market because of time constraints, the florist does offer flowers for any other occasion, including funerals, and lists corporate accounts as clients. Hessdorfer says doing flowers for these additional markets – in particular, corporate accounts – not only adds to his bottom line but also allows his designer to be creative, try new designs and create large-scale or funky arrangements.
To bring in new customers and to spread the word about the shop, Hessdorfer reaches out to local businesses. “What I usually do is I go out and give the promotion to local businesses and ask if they can put out flyers. I tell the owner the next time you’re in, why don’t you pick up fresh flowers for yourself? It’s an incentive for them to hand it out.” He used this tactic when preparing for this year’s Valentine’s Day and worked with the fire hall located across the street from the shop. The fire chief posted Hessdorfer’s Valentine’s Day flyer on the staff board so the staff at the hall could order flowers before Valentine’s Day, recognizing that firefighters never know where they’ll be when the occasion rolls around. This type of relationship building and networking has proven very successful for the florist.
Another powerful marketing strategy for the florist has been to talk to the customers as much as possible and Hessdorfer strives to keep the lines of communication open. “I’m a very hands-on person and I’m in my store a lot. You get to know your customer and what they like,” he says. “I have a weird gift – for most people, I can remember what they bought the last time they were in.” This attention to detail both surprises and flatters his customer base and proves how much he values his customers. Hessdorfer’s plan for this year is to put together a survey for his customers to see if he’s delivering the products they want and to see which areas he should be working on. “You’d think with that many people walking by the store every day that you’d be rolling in cash, but you’ve got to keep thinking up something different that these customers want. And what do these customers want? I think that’s one of my goals for 2010, to have a customer survey. Like five questions – what would you like to see in the store and things like that. Ask the questions and find out what would make them stop and take a closer look.”
When it comes to customer feedback, one of the things he hears most often is that customers love his long-lasting flowers. One customer even told the florist that the flowers lasted too long and he’d have bought more if they had died sooner. Other feedback includes compliments on the shop’s cozy atmosphere and the fact that shoppers appreciate his unique product selection.
Although Hessdorfer’s been in the floral industry for well over 20 years, he is still constantly examining his business and looking for ways to improve – a practice that’s helped Jane’s Floral Dreams grow and succeed. Once a week, when he’s not in the shop, he makes a point of sitting back, reviewing the shop and brainstorming future ideas. It’s this commitment to development that allows him to take advantage of new opportunities – no matter how crazy they may seem – and put them into action.
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