Abby Chick
Blakemore’s Flowers
Abby Chick has devoted her career to retail floristry, including her own shop, Blakemore's Flowers in Harrisonburg, VA. After taking a part time job at the age of 19 and dedicating years of young adulthood to bench training and bucket washing in a traditional flower shop, she made the leap into business ownership in 2012. Through her innovative style, continued education, and business acumen, she has turned her brick and mortar into not only a successful shop for daily work and funerals, but also an impressive event studio. She is passionate about continued education and was honored to be named named a 2023 Mayesh Design Star where she could share her strategies for success in modern floristry. Her expertise in the retail profession has led to collaborations with Holly Chapple Flowers and Flower Clique to bring educational resources to the floral market, as well as being a featured presenter at multiple design summits and conventions. Abby has an immense appreciation for the traditions and history of floristry but values innovation in the industry among her peers. Her goal is to create an inclusive, empathetic, and realistic path to sustainable floral design with practical, approachable, and profitable solutions to everyday design problems.
Show Notes
Abby talks about how meeting someone as creative and passionate about flowers as Hitomi Gilliam really opened her eyes and helped her look at flowers differently. We’ve had some great conversations with Hitomi which I would encourage you to go back and listen too.
While wire services shouldn't be your go-to, they offer hidden benefits. Utilizing their POS systems and SEO capabilities which can enhance your business's online presence. It's about finding what fits your shop best
When talking about designs we see on social media, Abby believes the general public wants a little bit of art but they still want their money’s worth. What’s done for camera may not work for retail.
If you don't like a design on your website, but it sells, ask your customers why they're interested in it. Understanding their likes and dislikes can help you make better choices for future designs.
Retail floristry isn’t just about a transaction. Abby believes that shopping in-store is still very special. If a client comes into your store instead of clicking an image on a website, it’s about the experience which will keep them coming to you to buy their flowers.
Success in floristry isn't just about top-notch designs. It's about the experiences you create and your ability to connect with customers on a personal level.
It wasn’t until she started to study her numbers that she was able to to fine tuning her buying habits.
Communicate with your local growers and your wholesalers. This could be another episode but having dialogue with suppliers especially about pricing and inventory to bridge farmer and florist relationship is vital in our industry.
