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Top Shops: Always in Bloom
Quality the key for Kelowna couple |
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Written by Marlene Opdecam
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Bill and Terri Traverse, owners of Bloomers Floral Designs & Gifts in Kelowna, B.C., were industry neophytes when they bought the business 10 years ago. But the ability to adapt and learn, coupled with a firm belief in offering only quality product, has long since paid off.
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Bloomers Floral Design & Gifts has two locations in British Columbia – one in Kelowna and one in nearby Westbank.
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Previously, while living in Kamloops, B.C., Terri had worked in retail and Bill was employed in the government sector. Then the couple decided to take a two-year hiatus from the rat race. “We enjoyed travelling in the winter months and I enjoyed golfing in the summer. It was a great time in our lives,” says Bill.
But the life of leisure wore a little thin for Terri.
“Terri became restless and wanted to get back to working,” Bill explained. “So, in October 2000, we decided to buy Bloomers Florist and move to Kelowna. We changed the name slightly to Bloomers Floral Designs & Gifts and had it registered.”
The couple described the jump into a retail floral business as a “real challenge.”
“Coming into the industry from outside and never owning a business before, it was a very large learning curve for us, one we had to learn quickly or we wouldn’t have been here long,” says Terri. “We learned from our mistakes, some bigger than others,” she laughed.
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At a Glance
Company name: Bloomers Floral Designs & Gifts
Location: Kelowna and
Westbank, B.C.
Owners: Bill and Terri Traverse
Years in business: 45
Wire service: Teleflora
Website:
www.bloomersflorist.ca
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Learning the language of the industry, the names of the products and plants, how to cost out and price products, where to buy product and how often to buy it were just a few of the hurdles they faced in their first year of operation. In their second year, the emphasis was on introducing technology to increase their efficiency in processing customer orders and tracking sales. In year three, Bill says they began to really focus on quality. In order to select the best of the blooms, Bill travels to Vancouver every week to attend the auction there, usually arriving at 4 a.m. Once there, he walks the line, closely examining the offerings of each wagon, seeking the quality products he desires for their business. The inspection process usually takes from one to two hours. Once the auction wraps up for the day, Bill then rechecks his purchases before trucking them to Kelowna, where they are recut, treated and vetted again before being offered for sale.
Buying direct takes a lot of extra time and effort but both Terri and Bill agree the results in product freshness and quality are well worth it.
“We always strive to provide the very best flowers and plants for our customers,” Terri says.
“Our belief was in the quality of the product we wanted and we had the most difficult time achieving this . . . but succeed we did,” says Bill.
And, with success, came expansion. In August 2004, the couple opened a second store in West Kelowna/Westbank. In 2010, that operation was moved “front and centre” to the New Governors Landing Mall, also in Westbank. Bloomers’ new location in Westbank comes with high ceilings, modern colours and a bright, 16-foot, walk-in display cooler that puts Bloomers’ designs and flowers front and centre.
The Bloomers West Kelowna/Westbank location has 1,300 square feet of modern, artistic atmosphere for customers, added Bill. The design of the store presents a large selection of orchids, plants and gifts in a designer’s atmosphere, which allows clients to visualize what they would look like in their homes or offices. “We are very proud of the new location and how we designed this outstanding store.”
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A photo of the staff (from left to right) Kim Traverse, Christina (a new trainee), Terri Traverse and Stacy Crane.
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Bloomers, they added, is also very excited about the recent addition of 18 Karat products. The 18 Karat line includes high-quality, innovative items for both home and body available throughout North America, Switzerland and Japan. Both Terri and Bill feel the line’s vases and containers lend their flowers and plants an added panache.
Bloomers’ Kelowna location is a 1600-square-foot facility with more of a warehouse feel. It is nestled between the Landmark Towers in central Kelowna in a commercial area. When the Traverses purchased the business, the store was located in downtown Kelowna. It had more than 3,000 square feet of commercial space and was difficult to fill, hence their decision to relocate it to a smaller storefront in 2004.
Presently, Bloomers’ staff consists of three full-time and two part-time people, with four others employed casually. “Our team is always improving what we do from handling and designing the products to customer service,” says Terri. “Our daughter Kim has joined our team and is also becoming a designer. Our team of designers is educated and experienced in all aspects of wedding, funeral tributes, home and corporate staging, and event planning. We will always continue to improve and educate ourselves and our team.”
The company’s clientele ranges in age from 20 to 60 years but averages out between 25 and 45. “Our Kelowna store market is driven by phones and the Internet,” says Bill, “while our West Kelowna/
Westbank store is more driven by the walk-in client.”
But, whatever their age or means of contact, feedback has been positive.
The new store in Westbank has received rave reviews from customers, other florists and sales representatives who have visited the new location, says Bill. And Bloomers has continued to be recognized as one of the best for more than 20 years by the Consumer Choice awards from Okanagan Life Magazine. Bloomers has also received awards for outstanding customer service presented by the local chamber of commerce.
Advertising is a somewhat thorny issue. Bill and Terri says they have tried radio and print without much success. And, while the Internet has produced some good results, the best vehicle locally has proven to be their Sprinter delivery truck.
In 2006, the couple purchased a new delivery van and accented it with a full body wrap of flowers. And, to this day, someone is always complimenting them on how the design “puts smiles on faces.” The design wrap was voted third best in Canada in the light duty commercial truck class by the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada. “Our delivery vehicle continues to provide us with a moving billboard which promotes our business,” Bill says.
Also helping to spread word of the shop is the couple’s commitment to their community. Bill and Terri firmly believe in lending a hand to local groups. To this end, they provide financial support to local Rotarians, area schools, heart and stroke and breast cancer foundations, and many other deserving charities.
The Bloomers website is another mechanism for promoting the stores. “Our website, www.bloomersflorist.ca , generates sales 24/7 and the numbers are increasing every year,” says Terri. The Internet is an increasing market, both agree, and one in which they plan to become more visible in the future. The next project on the books for Bloomers is to create a new website, added Bill.
When asked what advice they would give other retail florists, Bill says, “To become visible on the Internet and have a website that works for you 24/7.”
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