60 years in business

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Pandalou

Pandalou

Active Member
Aug 19, 2005
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Santa Cruz
www.ferrariflorist.com
State / Prov
CA
In July we will have our 60th anniversary in business. I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to celebrate. I purchased the business last year and moved it back downtown where it started. It was demolished in the 1989 earthquake and moved to another in the county. The move downtown has been good for us. We have a small gift shop in the front.
Thanks in advance,
Sharon
 
You absolutely need to contact your local papers - most towns, especially those with downtowns like you are in, will have local townie newspapers that do feature articles on businesses.

Just an off the cuff promo would be a flower give-away. We did good neighbor day last year (give customers 12 roses wrapped, they keep one and promise to hand out 11 others, of course collecting names, address etc etc) and it was a very well received event for us. No press coverage, but phone calls for several days after thanking us. So some kind of thank you for the community for supporting your shop for so long would probably do well.

Or a family day - used to work at a shop who had enough space to have a small fair type event - pony rides, petting zoo, free popcorn, cotton candy etc. Pretty involved though, and pricey.

T-shirts for your employees to wear, with your establishment date to this year.
What is the stone, or flower or color for 60th wedding anniversary? Could use that too, in some promo.

Just do it up! And what a milestone to celebrate.
good luck!
tracy
 
Free flowers for a year to the 60th person to come into the store
I agree with Tracy...contact the local rags, floral publications, radio and even wire services if you are a member...Snorton use to come out for these things..don't think Junior does...
I'd base everything around 60..if you have a friendly baker maybe a tall cake done like Alice in Wonderland ( sorta topsy turvey mad hatter style layers and decorated in wild colors) to celebrate your 60 crazy years in the biz...or even a cake to resemble the store...here is a link to what I am talking about
http://www.susiesscrumptioussweets.com
Even a drawing every 60 mins for the day...give away simple things but it would make folks want to come in and take a chance...maybe a local electronics store would give you a good deal on a 60 inch tv...if there is a thing like that and raffle it off....sell tickets for a buck and use it to either reimburse the cost or donate it to a local charity....ask ..they can only tell you "no" and then try another store....make them "want" to be part of your celebration...
Good luck and let us know how you do and what ideas you come up with..60 years...wow!!!!
Sher
 
60 years

Thank you both for the great ideas. I love them all.
I will start on the t-shirt tomorrow. One of our customers is a bakery, I'm sure they can help me come up with something wild and crazy ; )
Sharon
 
Sher said:
...Snorton use to come out for these things..don't think Junior does...
Good luck and let us know how you do and what ideas you come up with..60 years...wow!!!!
Sher
Click to expand...

Dang Sherri-Berrie! Aren't you FULL of idears! I'll be sure to give you a ring-a-ding when we celebrate our 100th in 2008.

One word for you Sharon: PARTY. Have a REALLY BIG party - invite EVERYONE: The Mayor, the Gov., City Councilman/woman, etc. Get the local media involved... We are already starting our planning for our 100 year bash. Going to try and close the street for a day! (working on that...)

- H

PS - yea, Bobbie did come out - for 50 yr & above...Jr. doesn't... (he's too busy figuring ways to sell $29.99 bouquets. Ok, I'll stop...)
 
not to put a damper on Panda's fun but they did say that they had purchased the business last year (not 60 yrs ago).
I am in my 32nd year (we purchased in 1974) but the shop under various owners has been around since 1948 which would be 58 years. I don't think that I personally would be doing a 60th anniversary in a couple of years when I actually have only been here 34? Maybe if the previous owners were willing to take part in the celebration but even then, those who are regular customers would know the current owners....ah...am I thinking to literally? or is it proper to celebrate a "named shop's" longevity not the owners? (especially if the current owners are not 2nd or 3rd generation family)
<by the way, please don't take this wrong, just asking what the general thought would be> :)
 
Rhonda,

The shop is 60 years old regardless of ownership. Longevity says a lot about the stability of the business.

Walt no longer owns Disneyland, nor his family a majority of the stock, but that didn't stop the park from having a huge year-long 50th Anniversary celebration. The promos have helped set park attendance records and reverse declining revenues.

Pandalou, nice to see you post. :) I agree with Sher - make the most of the celebration for as long as you can and bring a big buzz to your store.
 
Doesn't matter a darn who owns it... it's a business which has been running for 60 years! Party down and invite all and sundry... and the above ideas are awesome. :)

There are many businesses out there with a 125 year or better history. They are not owned by the original owners, and unless there is some really cool miracle... the originals are otherwise occupied and therefore unable to participate. ;)


V
 
60 Years

Thanks again for your ideas/input. Without boring you with my life story, it was a big change in my life when I purchased this business. I feel honored to now be a part of this wonderful shop. The man who started the business is in his early 90's and brings us birds and callas from his garden. We all (owner, designers, sales, and delivery) work hard to continue the tradition of this florist and gift shop. There are not many stores that have weathered this many years and it is a credit to the shop's previous owners (3).
Again, thanks for the ideas. I never thought of inviting the Mayor, etc. but I will now!
Sharon
 
we ALSO celebrate ....

60 years in business this coming September....
What IS a true "milestone" in ANY business life these days??......
1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 25 years, 100 years??
It can be BRUTALLY rewarding, and candidly tiresome, trying to explain how this was achieved, and it would seem that the MOST relevant facts are change slowly, adapt quickly (oxymoron??), gut instincts, and fearless independance always top the list of longetivity for business owners these days, and though change is now "expected", it MUST be expected on BOTH SIDES of the sales counter, and YOUR consumer/customer orders from your shops(s) for a reason.
Generally, florists are TOTALLY LOST in today's rapidly unstable business atmosphere, and are largely sending out many incoherent "signals" to the consumer, and in turn, the consumer is "receiving" the incorrect "version" of those signals, and is simply NOT willing to deal with it!!
It takes upwards of 15 years to categorically understand this biz REGARDLESS of the changes around us, and though YOU may argue that that amount of time is irrational, it TAKES sometimes 10-15 years for customers JUST TO TRUST YOU, IF you've taken over someone ELSE'S business!!
My OWN opinion is that 20 years of ownership in this business is a milestone, and IF you've achieved THAT, surpassed it, OR are DETERMINED to REACH IT, this business IS, and WILL CONTINUE to be a great business to be in!!
You can take NOTHING for granted....NOTHING!!
 
WE will celebrate our 5th year anniversary in July. We started from scratch so for us this is a bit of a milestone. Especially considering the failure rate of new businesses. We are trying to decide now how celebrate and promote it. We have gotten close on time for July so we might put the celebration off until august. Try to do something on the 4th of July as our anniversary is actually on the 3rd (same as our oldest childs birthday).
 
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