WRITEON FOR SEP 4, 2019
sister alies.
COMMUNITY BUILDING 3
I suspect if you've been here awhile (these last 19years anyway) you've purchased flowers or gifts from Elizabeth @ FORGET ME NOT FLORIST. Beautiful and thoughtfully done whether for celebrations, funerals or just a happy for someone you love.
“When I opened I was one of 5 florists...and now...there's only me.” That she has survived is a blessing but also a commentary on the decline of small businesses in our small towns. From her point of view, though, it's a matter of “choosing to go on.”
In this little series I've tried to explore how small businesses contribute to the building up of communities. I think clearly we see @ FMN answers to that question. Elizabeth and her current staff Tera (3 years) and Dharma (newbie floral design student @ MSU)and soon to be Debra, a commitment to the community that over-arches what you might see.
“We try to do for folks what they cannot do for themselves...so our hours aren't always 9-5. We deliver to cemeteries and churches and try to help people express their grief (or joy), their sentiments, through our flowers and gifts.”
“I know as a Chamber member we need more businesses to participate and we need more bigger businesses as that will support our smaller places. Some days it's hard to look down the street and see buildings closed. But we open our door anyway!” Elizabeth has a hearty attitude and has persevered all these years because she finds “magic in flowers. I just love working with them and making others happy.”
“I do love to go to work each day because I'm never sure what will happen. I love doing deliveries and meeting and learning about customers. We have a close knit staff in a small shop so we need to work at creating a happy atmosphere that is friendly to us all. Plants also make me happy.”
Small businesses suffer here and in other towns from projects around them that don't get done. (Handicapped accessible sidewalks, for example). With no amenities and few choices of products folks feel almost forced to WALMART and the like...though 15-26 miles away. Small towns have a reduced workforce and few town activities that get folks out. Even days like OPEN HOUSE are few and far between and are costly to small businesses. Small businesses need lots of advertisement!
“We want YOU in business”, needs to be what we hear from our local government, Chamber and the like so that shops are not forced to close or that locals shop elsewhere. Staying in business can be stressful and yet folks like Elizabeth make it all look so simple and happy. She want her daughter Allie Grace (now 11) to be able to continue to work there if she chooses. Just go into FORGET ME NOT and see what I mean! M+T, Th+Fri 9-5; Wed+Sat 9-12.
In fact Elizabeth has a SPECIAL HAPPY for anyone bringing this article into her shop!Can only guess it'll be good!
BLESSINGS.
