The year 2020 will go down as the year that everything got delayed, canceled and changed.  COVID-19 stopped everyone in their tracks.  We weren’t alone in this either.  The entire world came to a screeching halt.

 

At Lafayette Florist, we had to change our business quickly or risk going out of business.  There were good things and bad things.  Here are a few things that changed:

• As the front of our store was closed, our website was reaching record highs with orders for curbside pickup and no-contact delivery. By Mother’s Day weekend, we opened the store.  Walk-in business changed with masks and shoppers not being able to see our smiles.  Six months later, walk-in shopping is still down 35%.

 

• Lafayette Florist has had a shop at Good Samaritan Medical Center for the last 16 years. Going from no-patient visitors, to limited visitations with health screenings – the halls of the hospital were like a ghost town.  We closed our doors at Good Sam for good in July.  Luckily, our staff members who worked at Good Sam now work at our main store.

 

• Wedding season saw an immediate impact as brides called canceling or postponing their nuptials. Some moved celebrations into the fall, with “Micro-Weddings” consisting of fewer than 50 guests and a more intimate celebration.  Others choose an elopement for a “quickie wedding.”  Many brides took advantage of our “Elopement packages and micro-wedding suggestions” from our website.

 

• As people had more time at home, we saw more “new” gardeners than ever before. Enthusiastic and ready to connect with nature, these eager gardeners planted seeds and vegetable starts, beautiful flower-filled patio pots and learned how to water, amend soils and care for their landscapes.  It became the trend of the year.

 

• Indoor green plants became another popular item. As we recognized the stress-relieving, mood boosting qualities of having plants and flowers in the home, we became collectors of these green gems.

 

• Another trend is flower giving for no-reason-at-all. The most popular card messages

became “Just Because”, “I miss you”  and “sending a flower hug.”

 

We believe that flowers are an important part of life.  As people are isolated, some may become depressed and stressed.  Research from Rutgers University shows the presence of flowers decreased depression in 81% of senior citizens.  University of North Florida research shows people who live with flowers reported a significant decrease in levels of stress and improved moods. Harvard reports flowers lower anxiety and depressed feelings.  We all know that flowers bring people happiness. Lafayette Florist wants to be here for our neighbors who need some hope. 

 

Yes, life has changed.  Our business has changed.  We’ve pivoted our store to serve our customers better.  We’ve improved procedures to keep our staff safe and happy.  It’s made us better business owners and we are so happy that you’ve helped us survive.  We love our customers!  Thank you for all of your support.