GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Kyle Hogarty, co-owner of Flowerama, said when the COVID-19 pandemic started, he was worried about his business.
“First it was kind of scary," he said. "There was a lot of unknowns.”
But as time went on, Flowerama was still thriving, he said. In-store customer traffic stayed consistent, and online orders increased.
“It’s been insane, just crazy busy," said Hogarty. “It’s definitely had a positive effect as far as flower shops go. Eeverybody wants to go see friends, family that kind of stuff, but with everything going on, they use different means to send the same effect. So flower shops are definitely one of the bigger things.”
The shop had to make some adjustments, said Jeremy Stichman, co-owner, like masking up, putting in a sanitation station and wiping down the coolers.
“It has been kind of difficult with the not knowing," he said. "And with that kind of relaxing a little bit too, we still want to be cautious and make sure everybody is safe.”
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Valentine’s day is always a fun time of year in the shop, said Stichman. One of the trendiest items is the 'rose globe,' a preserved flower that can last weeks to months. The shop also has balloons, stuffed animals, cards and candy for sale.
“Everything is coming in right now," he said. "It’s nice to see color and a lot more variety.”
They’re preparing for anywhere from 200 to 400 flower deliveries for the holiday this year, said Hogarty.
“I don’t get to celebrate it as much, but it’s always fun to be around and be in it with all the other people," he said. "We always try to celebrate it as much as we can, but it’s a different feeling when you’re on this end of it. But it’s always nice to still spread the love with other people and see everybody else enjoy it.”
Flowerama is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
