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Top Shops: Daring to be Different
Eco Stems is true to nature and its name |
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Written by top shops
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Eco Stems owner Joseph Delarge mans the phone lines at his environmentally-sustainable flower shop in Toronto. Despite the fact that the shop is still in its infancy, Delarge has attracted a customer base that appreciates his green roots.
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A beautiful shop, award-winning designs and an owner who makes the environment a top priority – these are the qualities that define Eco Stems.
The florist is a green and socially sustainable full-service retail flower shop located in downtown Toronto. Owner Joseph Delarge uses only local, organic and Fair Trade flowers to create the designs. His eco-outlook is also applied to nearly every aspect of the shop. “We strive to minimize our impact on the environment. We limit our water use, reduce emissions from cars by delivering by bicycle, reduce energy consumption, and use green electricity. We reuse and repurpose floral containers and materials and we buy used before new. Our packaging is biodegradable, made from recycled materials and recyclable. Finally we donate all old flowers so they don’t go to waste,” says Delarge.
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At a Glance
Company name:
Eco Stems
Location: Toronto
Owners: Joseph Delarge
Years in business: 2
Facility size:
500 square feet
Website: www.ecostems.ca |
The florist is a recent graduate from the full-time Floral Design Certificate Program at Seneca College, and prior to that, he received his diploma in horticulture at Niagara College. Owning a unique flower shop was always on his mind but he first gained experience by working with various flower shops in the city and managing two locations before taking the plunge and starting up his own establishment. The 500 square-foot shop is located downtown in an older section of the city. His clientele reflects the surrounding neighborhood, which is a mix of young and old.
When it came to the look and feel of his flower shop, Delarge worked to find a concept that would reflect his personal design and life style. Through careful choices and thorough searching, he’s succeeded in creating a place that gives off a personal, eclectic and unique vibe. The furniture Delarge uses in his store was bought secondhand and a few coats of paint refresh the pieces and give a one-of-a-kind look.
In keeping with his vision, Delarge also bought furniture made out of reclaimed wood and found items such as the fridge from an existing flower shop. Light-coloured walls make the interior’s atmosphere very inviting and light. The open concept and the mixing of modern and old contribute to an overall exciting space. The rustic furniture, placed in specific areas of the store for featured displays, creates interest and texture, and serves as a background for flowers and plants.
Delarge spends a lot of time sourcing unique and hard-to-find items. Every piece of his giftware has to have a natural feel and also must be a Fair Trade product. As such, the majority of giftware items and accessories are made of pottery, wood and rocks. A full range of fresh cut flowers are displayed in the fridge and a wide array of tropical plants and some very unusual small to medium-sized cacti are part of his selection. Delarge has also invited a local artist to display a couple of canvases in his store, which add interest and pique the curiosity of his clients.
The design style at Eco Stems is natural, fresh and contemporary. One of the company’s policies is that arrangements must always be unique. Even when the staff is working on a large function, each arrangement is slightly different from the others.
Eco Stems caters to all of the floral markets: weddings, sympathy, holiday and corporate. The corporate functions have increased since the store opened and Delarge attributes the growth to his customers spreading the word about his shop, especially when people attend those corporate functions. Delarge also engages in many promotional avenues to help raise the profile of his young shop. The entrepreneur’s environmental and sustainable philosophy has created a buzz with people and afforded him free press through such leading city newspapers and magazines as the Toronto Star and Toronto Life. Non-traditional ways of advertising like social networking sites also have helped to increase his customer base. Delarge’s company participates in bridal shows and the annual consumer flower show in the city, Canada Blooms.
Delarge credits hard work and very long walks through the forest as a major source for inspiration when it comes to his business and his designs. Originally from Barrie, Ont., Delarge spends some time on his parents’ farm to seek out native products for his displays in the store. Large and unique mushrooms taken from broken trees, wonderful lush mosses and bark formations are treasures found in his window displays and tucked in between plant groups he displays in his store.
The store does not have a wire service but finds businesses on the Internet to take care of national and international orders. The Eco Stems website has been running since the shop opened and has been an incredible tool to promote Delarge’s business and his services. He regularly updates blogs and his social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter, to keep his web presence fresh and active. Customers gravitated to the online shop right from the beginning and both repeat customers and positive feedback continue to come Delarge’s way.
When asked what the major challenge has been with opening a flower shop, Delarge says it’s been managing the numbers. “The biggest learning curve for being a young entrepreneur was and continues to be the cash flow.” Turning to the future, the florist dreams of expansion. He sees “a garden centre attached to the existing flower shop, more staff members and a new website. These are some of the items on my agenda for the future.” In order to carry out this vision, Delarge says he’ll continue on with his core values. “I’ll stick to my original vision without compromise – an environmentally and socially sustainable flower shop, local, organic and Fair Trade. Customer service is the number 1 focus I must always keep in the forefront.”
It’s clear he’s on the right path. He shares his passion for flowers every day through the ever-evolving displays and merchandising inside the store. This is a great way to entice customers and keep their curiosity alive. He also knows that building trust and loyalty is key: “It is also the ongoing relationship and contact with my customers through the websites Twitter and Facebook which will help build my clientele,” says Delarge.
In just its third year of operation, Eco Stems has overcome many of the trials and tribulations faced by a new shop. Having the courage to be different and follow a green philosophy is a challenge in itself and one that will allow the shop to find its own niche and serve customers for many years to come.
By Marianne Suess, AIFD, CAFA
Tips to Take Away:
- Find a niche that works for your shop. Owner Joseph Delarge’s passion for going green is evident through all aspects of his shop and it’s become a philosophy that his customers know they can rely on.
- Make old things new again. Much of the furniture and displays at Eco Stems are found items that Delarge has repurposed and freshened up for use in his store.
- Deliver a customized experience. One of the shop’s policies is to offer arrangements that are always a little bit different from each other. This means that no design is ever the same and each client receives flowers that are unique to them.
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