Weddings impacted, all staff sacked as flower company goes into liquidation

Staff have been terminated on the spot and weddings are believed to have been impacted after a company suddenly collapsed.

Staff have been terminated on the spot and weddings are believed to have been impacted after a company suddenly collapsed.

Staff have been terminated on the spot and weddings are believed to have been impacted after a popular Sydney flower shop collapsed.

Last week, Eden and Bell, based in Surry Hills, went into voluntary liquidation.

Eden and Bell provided flowers to its customers both online and through the store and offered same day delivery services.

The florist business also catered to weddings and other events, with a minimum spend rule in place.

News.com.au understands weddings have been impacted while all 11 workers have been let go.

Richard Albarran of insolvency firm Hall Chadwick was appointed as the liquidator last Tuesday, March 21.

The company owes $530,000 to 85 creditors.

Some of those creditors are employees and customers.

The classy shop front which has closed for good.

Google has already listed it as permanently closed.

“The company ceased to trade its business prior to the liquidation on or around 17 March 2023 and previously operated from a studio workshop in Banksmeadow NSW providing floral arrangements for corporate events (and) weddings and also held an online retail store for flowers and gifts,” Mr Albarran told news.com.au.

He said Eden and Bell had very few assets and that “it is unlikely that creditors will receive any return in the liquidation of the company”.

Covid-19 was ultimately blamed for the company’s demise, as the liquidator cited rising costs of living as well as a downturn in sales because of the pandemic as the reason for its closure.

The firm’s social media accounts have since been shuttered but its website remains online.

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The company’s website is still functioning so far.

Sophie and Dom Geisser, pictured on their wedding day. Picture: Facebook

Eden and Bell was founded in 2018 by husband and wife duo Sophie and Dom Geisser, a stylist and builder respectively.

The company derived its name from Sophie, with Bell being her maiden name.

Originally the couple helped out with friends’ weddings in the shed of Sophie’s grandma before realising they could make a business out of it.

Prior to the business ceasing to operate, they reportedly visited Sydney’s flower markets three times a week for fresh products.

Eden and Bell was founded on the principle of making “flowers approachable and affordable for everyone”, Ms Geisser told Broadsheet two years ago.

Urban List described the business as “the kind of stuff that never goes out of style” several years before it went bust while Timeout Sydney ranked it among the city’s best 12 florists.

News.com.au contacted the company’s directors for further comment.

Their Instagram account has shut down.

Other retailers, big and small alike, have also collapsed so far this year amid tough market conditions.

A number of small cafes across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have shut down.

Over in Sydney, Jellyfish Cafe, an icon in the suburb of Manly, went into liquidation while over in Melbourne, The Beer & Burger Bar also collapsed earlier this month owing half a million dollars.

Then in Brisbane, Bella and Tortie, La Quinta Mexican Cafe and Bar and Amante Tapas and Vino all shut down in quick succession.

Other retail and e-commerce businesses have also struggled.

In January, furniture company Brosa went into liquidation owing $24 million while fashion label Alice McCall collapsed last month with around $1 million in debts.

Both cited reduced sales and the Covid-19 pandemic as the reason for failure.

Originally published as Weddings impacted, all staff sacked as flower company goes into liquidation