Advice for a new florist/shop owner
^(Hello all,)
^(I'm about to embark on a new adventure and sign a lease tomorrow on a small but perfect space for a flower studio. It's small- 500 sq feet- but perfect for what I'm envisioning.)
^(I'd love any advice specifically on building out my space. What do you wish you'd done differently? I can build out however I want so- flower cooler, utility sink with drying rack, storage, work station- all of that can be customized how I like. I'd like a workstation on wheels to move out of the way during classes.)
^(A few things to note before I get any feedback:)
^(1- My house is way too small to work out of my home. That simply isn't an option.)
^(2- The overhead including rent, electric, internet, insurance etc will be about $1900 a month)
^(3- There are no businesses like this in my town. My vision isn't for a traditional flower shop (we do have one of those.) I strongly dislike the flowers they make there, and the only options for my style (whimsical, season, farm grown flowers,) are either to make arrangements myself or go into the city 20-30 mins away.)
^(4- I plan to not have retail hours to start- but simply to do pre orders with pickups/delivery, pop ups, mobile bloom bars, and lots of classes, workshops and parties. Flower arranging, brunch & blooms, and other botanical crafts.)
^(5- There was a woman who ran a similar business out of her home for years and there was a huge market for her work. She did tons for homecoming/prom, holidays, subscriptions etc.)
^(6- I would buy my flowers from wholesalers in my area. There are many great options. I also will grow many of my flowers in the summer.)
^(I am a highly capable and artistic person who has run a 6 figure online business for 15 years- I am great at local marketing, social media, photography etc- and I have tons of connections to our community. I feel confidant in this venture but would love some advice!)