Business is still blooming for Adelaide florists amid the COVID-19 gloom
Business is still blooming for many Adelaide florists despite COVID-19 seeing the mass cancellation of weddings and other big events, with flowers increasingly being sent to cheer people up who are celebrating a birthday or struggling in isolation.
SA News
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Florists across Adelaide are busier than ever, with flowers being increasingly sent to celebrate milestone events or simply to cheer people up during the coronavirus pandemic.
The demand has surprised local florists, who expected business to take a dive with COVID-19 rules forcing the cancellation of weddings, milestone birthday parties and other big events.
Little Love Co manager Jean Hunt says the Norwood florist has experienced a huge spike in online and phone orders since the social distancing crackdown.
She says the Kensington Rd shop, which is operating with contactless payments and pick-ups only, is as busy now as it is in the lead-up to big events, such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
“We’ve been very surprised,” Ms Hunt says.
“I thought we’d take a dive because flowers are generally seen as a luxury item but everyone seems to be turning to flowers.
“There’s been an increase over the whole board but there have been a lot of birthdays, apologies that their weddings can’t go ahead and lots of people sending plants for people’s home offices.”
This has allowed Little Love Co to retain its five staff and employ an admin worker to manage phone and online orders.
“What we’ve lost in events and functions we’ve picked up in the ‘sorry we can’t see you’ type of arrangements,” Ms Hunt says.
“A lot of people obviously can’t visit people for their birthdays and celebrations so they’re sending flowers instead.
“It’s the main reason I got into floristry – I love the emotions connected to flowers and that we’re able to interpret that emotion into something someone can give someone to cheer them up.”
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Alex Hopgood, from The Blu Tulip in Grange, has been “blown away” by community kindness.
“More people are coming in because such and such has lost their job or buying a bunch mostly for people in isolation … just to brighten up someone’s day,” she says.
“They’ll go next door and get a takeaway coffee and then come in buy a bunch of flowers.
“Because we have market fresh bunches, all they do is pick up and go, and people have called up to order flowers to be delivered.”
Amanda Sim, who owns Bay Junction Florist and Broadway Florist, says a bunch of flowers is a “pick me up” during the COVID-19 crisis.
While foot traffic around her Glenelg shops is low, Ms Sim says online and phone trade has been “pleasantly” surprising over the past few weeks.
“Last week, there were lots of people ordering that have been working from home for two or three weeks and they were saying ‘I just need something to pick me up and bring some colour into the house’,” Ms Sim says.
“Now, we are seeing a shift where people have been in isolation and their spirits are down … so people are sending flowers.
“You just look at flowers and it is like they are smiling back at you.”
Jen Andrew, who owns Seaside Sweets at Semaphore, and Jodie Morrison, who runs Flowers by Melinda at Hindmarsh, refused to let the coronavirus pandemic dampen their spirits.
Instead, the quick-thinking friends decided to join their businesses to form Forget You Not – a a gift service aimed at those affected by isolation.
“We are two old girls trying to keep our heads above water,” Mrs Andrew says.
“We each have small shops in the western suburbs and are struggling to stay open.
“Some of our friends, neighbours and older relatives may be suffering with loneliness or they may be confused by what is going on around them and the sudden lack of visitors.
This is a way of letting them know that they have not been forgotten and are still very important.”
There are four gift boxes to choose from which each feature South Australian produce – with a choice of licorice, toffee, fruit or chocolate along with fresh seasonal flowers – for $40.
The package is delivered within 24 hours.
“We are not trying to profit from this pandemic, just adapt our business models in order to survive,” Mrs Andrew says.