First of all, thank you Amy for asking the questions.
Now, I know the area his is proposing to open in. So I filll qualified to reply here.
First, Jeremy, you don't know anything about our industry. Sounds as if you just maybe lost your job and decided this looked like fun. Well let me be the first to tell you that it is not all fun and games.
If you had researched this area and idea very much, you'd know that there is a hardgoods supplier that has had his business for sale for some time with no takers. Doesn't that say anything to you. I have bought out 4 shops recently that closed because of this economy near Dallas area and I declined two others.
This is the worst possible time for a novice to try and open a highly demanding business like flower wholesaling. Greenleaf, Knowles, DWF, First Choice, Macarena Gardens, and a large well established tropical vendor near LoveField and several others would eat you alive. Way further east around Sulpher Springs might support a new wholesaler, but some of these other guys go there already by truck routes.
You sound like a youngster, so I'll speak like a mom, Dont jump in to this.
You need to work in the industry first for a year or so. Do you even know where to get the flowers you'll sell? Do you have a building in mind, do you have coolers or sources for coolers big ones, do you have the means $$ to pay those large electric bills while you build a steady clientele,do you have refrigerated trucks, workers with experience, computer systems, phone lines, workers comp, building insur, auto insur.,sources for hardgoods,(Syndicate Sales and Luv and others would eat you alive on hardgoods, plus most of us by direct).
If you expect us to help you on this forum when all you want from us is the information to eventually compete against us. Forget it.
Sorry, not being mean but I vote NO.
Good luck.
