A bouquet of heritage

Sonya Khanna

Business Editor

Along with its quaint and refreshing interior, Westdale Florists offers a personalized touch to floral arrangements with a strong historical presence to boot.

With an undying itch to satisfy her passion for all things flower-related, owner of Westdale Florists, Rosanna Yeomans, purchased the store eight years ago and has been preparing extravagant floral arrangements and visually stunning bouquets ever since.

Since she purchased the store, waves of innovation have brought about new opportunities. A significant portion of business is geared towards weddings, with Westdale Florists catering to roughly 80 to 90 weddings a year.

The humble, family-owned charm of the store isn’t the only reason it has succeeded despite the dominance of big-box counterparts.

Westdale Florists offers a sense of community, with a heritage spawning over 60 years in the close-knit Westdale Village.

Unwavering support from the community is just one of the things that has kept the business intact.

“We try to do what we can within the community,” says Yeomans. “Students come in here quite a bit too and it’s nice when you see a first year student come in and then four years later you are still seeing that student. We had one student come in here all the time and even show us the ring before he proposed.”

The nature of the business hasn’t always been a bed of roses. Challenges associated with the emergence of big-box stores in the area have prompted strategic decision making.

Instead of opting for a ruthless approach to business, Westdale Florists has ultimately blossomed as a strong competitor through its personalized business methods.

“Other retailers sell flowers for low prices and they purchase them for low prices, but where we differ from others stores is in the service,” says Yeomans. “A lot of the time people are looking for price, but there are clients who want great service and great quality, which is what we have to offer.”

Westdale Florists has made substantial effort to expand its business opportunities and adapt to the cyclical waves of changes within the industry by taking advantage of the popularity of online shopping.

The store website offers a user-friendly approach purchasing flowers, including free delivery for local online shoppers.

“We had our website up for over a year and it increased our business almost twenty per cent,” said Yeomans. “Sometimes a customer will call and say I did this but found it difficult, so we try to change it up. Customer feedback is great, so if we change it, buy generic levitra online uk that just makes it easier every time.”

Customer feedback is part of the reason Yeomans suggests the business has maintained a strong community backing.

Zoning in on the needs and requests of clientele offers businesses with a “bouquet” of opportunities, so to speak, helping them effectively adjust business strategies and prosper.

Although Yeomans mentions that the popularity of Roses among customers is a perpetual trend, particularly for males, she suggests differences in female trends.

With trends constantly reshaping the name of the game, the staff at Westdale Florists is constantly striving to develop new arrangements, including various lavish items to embellish arrangements.

“Roses are the biggest thing, and that’s a trend I don’t think we’ll every break. Women will switch it up and go for different flowers, but with weddings, the trend is bling,” said Yeomans. “Sparkle and glitz are very popular right now, and with arrangements, our staff is thinking outside the box. We’ve been doing things to embellish arrangements, such as designing elaborate floral head pieces for the bridal show recently.”

The local student community has also showed their support to Westdale Florists, with flocks of love-struck young people professing their adoration to their significant other through a single flower or beautiful bouquet.

To adapt to a constantly changing industry and expand operations, Westdale Florists is in the midst of planning a new campaign, seeking out greater corporate businesses and expanding on wedding services, while maintaining a strong foundation in the heart of Westdale Village.