As City Florist & Gifts in Chatsworth celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, owner Mickey Sanford said although there have been many changes, its mission statement has stayed the same.
“We love flowers and we love people who love flowers,” Sanford said. “‘We use the line ‘Flowers say what words can’t,’ because it’s true. Sometimes we don’t know what to say or there’s not much you can say. We just have to be there for them and show we care.”
Opening under Sanford’s ownership in 1989, City Florist & Gifts offers blooms and bouquets for all occasions, including birthdays, funerals, anniversaries, weddings and sympathy.
“A lot of people think we do mostly sad things, but we do lots of happy things,” Sanford said. “It’s not just funerals. We try to help everybody with their need, whatever it may be.”
The current location at 429 N. Third Ave. was built in 1990.
“There have been both challenges and changes,” Sanford said. “Because everybody’s business has changed in that span of time. You have to kind of move with it.”
That includes the emergence of online floral shopping during the last several years, something Sanford said has become more and more predominant.
“Obviously people would always come into the shop, but now people are wanting to shop online or over the phone,” he said.
While virtually paying for violets is seemingly becoming the standard, Sanford stressed the importance of having a brick-and-mortar store in town.
“I try to stay away from a (total) online presence,” he said. “Because for people searching online (on websites and apps such as Etsy or Pinterest), a lot of that doesn’t necessarily come with a price, so I’d rather them come speak to me face-to-face or over the phone. It’s better for anybody shopping in any town to speak at a brick-and-mortar store, because it always comes back to us. You can order online all you want, but if they can’t find anyone to fill your order, then that’s it.”
Sanford said the industry is constantly in a state of moving and shifting.
“Of course style and color always change in our industry,” Sanford said. “Things that we once did aren’t necessarily popular or are as prevalent anymore.”
Which is something that has even spread to holidays, Sanford said.
“Certain holidays are not as prevalent as they once were,” he said. “When I first got into the business, we used to work nearly all night long to get ready for Easter Sunday. Now, it seems as if it’s not as prevalent as it once was. When I was a kid, everybody went to church on Easter Sunday. It didn’t matter if you didn’t go any other time, you went on Easter. Trends have changed and it’s different today.”
Christmas has remained a powerhouse at the florist shop, he said.
“Christmas is still the biggest and busiest, because it’s the longest holiday season,” Sanford said. “And it’s only getting bigger. When I was growing up, the Christmas season was from right after Thanksgiving to (Dec. 25). But now, it’s two months long. Now, Hallmark starts their Christmas right after Halloween.”
That also means decorating the shop for the Christmas season early each year for Sanford and his two sisters, Debra Satterfield and Donna Frost, who have remained a consistent presence at City Florist since the late 1980s.
“We start decorating the shop Oct. 1 to get ready for Christmas and we try to have the shop done by Nov. 1,” Sanford said. “I’m a little bit slower getting everything set up now than when I first started.”
Another significant change, Sanford said, is in funeral service times.
“Funeral work is really our biggest business, because flowers play a vital part,” he said. “When I was younger and first started out, we didn’t do Sunday funerals. But now, it’s a lot of weekend things, because, like us, they’ve had a change. There’s definitely more weekend work now.
Another shift has come with gifts available for purchase.
“Gifts change because trends change,” Sanford said. “Years ago, a simple mug with candy and balloons was a big thing, but now, it’s almost obsolete. I can remember a time when we used to sell a mug a day. It’s just a change with the times.”
Sanford said candles and home decor are now big-selling items along with the shop’s flower selection.
“But candles have changed, too,” he said. “We used to sell tapered candles, now it’s all scented candles. We used to do basket arrangements, too. Everything went out in a wicker basket, but now it’s a vase. That look has become more popular.”
Sanford said helping people will always remain a priority.
“It’s been wonderful to be able to help people in their time of need or provide a service that makes someone happy,” he said. “That’s a good thing. I love flowers, but I like to help people. When they go to a funeral home, I don’t know that flowers can help them, but I want to be able to help bring peace and comfort if I can.”
City Florist & Gifts offers delivery services to both Chatsworth and Dalton dependent on address, and delivers to all funeral homes and hospitals within Murray and Whitfield counties. It specializes in custom arrangements, from flowers to silks.
The shop can be reached by visiting its website (www.cityfloristandgiftshop.com) or by calling (706) 695-4414. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.