My grandfather, Papa Charlie came to Chattanooga and started the florist in 1933. His family ran a wholesale flower business in Charleston, West Virginia. After 20 years in downtown Chattanooga, he chose Main Street because the downtown rent doubled. Actually there is a longer story but I will go there another time. Back then he wrapped flowers in paper or if vased, used chicken wire as a grid to hold the flowers in place. It was not the business it is today.
He, along with many of the florists of that time, belonged to a (now) well known wire service industry. However, back then it was owned by florists and at the end of each year there was even a small profit the florist would share with each other. This first wire service was there to help florist link up to deliver flowers around the country. There are now many floral 'wire' companies that make their profit from the florist and the customer.
If you only knew how this works, you might consider calling your local florist directly. Florists pay so much in fees to the wire service companies. But let's talk about the customer. Your money is eaten away by this middle man as well. When you send an arrangement through the wire service, you are also giving money to this wire service company. The end product is not the value of what you have purchased. The receiving florist only gets 70-80 percent of the money you have just given the wire service to send your floral arrangement. Plus, that florist has to pay outrageous monthly fees to this middle man.
Your local florist, in my opinion, has been hijacked and so have you as the customer. It is just about learning how this works. We can help our local economy simultaneously making sure your hard earned money is given full value for the product you have ordered.
So, call your local florist and avoid the wire service companies (such as 1-800 Flowers, FTD, Teleflora the list goes on and on). Oh, one more thing. Make sure you are talking to a local florist when you call. You have no idea how many companies are listed as local but are actually in New Jersey and New York. Just ask them where they are located and get ready for evasive answers.
I think my grandfather would be proud of me for writing this. After all, flowers are about giving beauty love joy and happiness to our community. Let's keep it that way.
