Store Name: City Flowers
Store Address: 10500 NE 8th Street Bellevue WA 98004
Instagram Handle: cityflowersbellevue
Owner: John Hilscher & Jonathan VonGieseke
Years in Business: 34
Tell us about your store. What inspired you to create it?
Tell us about your store. What inspired you to create it?Our store is an escape from the ordinary in every aspect. We strive to gleefully attack all your senses at once upon entering our doors. Gurgling water fountains, Song birds singing, LAFCO Champagne Candle filling the air with intoxicating Fragrance, are just a fill of the everyday rules at City Flowers, I was inspired at an early age working with my Father in his greenhouses, learning one of life’s most valuable lessons… My father use to say, “having flowers in your home, or your desk while you work will always lighten your load’
Talk to us about your product curation. How do you decide which brands to offer?
Quality, Performance, and uniqueness are top considerations when we are away on buying trips. Buying trips to New York, Atlanta, and Paris are paramount in discovering and curating those items we know will delight and amuse our clientele.
What is your favorite or “must-have” LAFCO product and why?
This is a difficult question, as it really depends on their season which fragrance becomes our favorite! Right now as spring approaches The Duchess Peony and the crisp grapefruit and ginger notes in the Champagne are front and center in the store. We always place a LAFCO diffuser right up front near the entrance to the store to capture our audience the moment they step foot into our little piece of heaven!
Do you have a store pet or furry friend? What’s his or her name?
Finnegan
What advice or ideas would you like to share with other independent businesses?
Testers Testers Testers!! There is not a car buyer in the world who wouldn’t NEED to test drive a beautiful new car, right? Well the same goes for LAFCO Newby clients. Testers in your store whether Diffusers or BURNING candles seal the deal every time. Our store in a high rise downtown office building and we have actually had people on the 10th floor of the building track the fragrance all the way back down to our store. Burn a candle safely in your store if you are allowed and let the product sell itself! Trust me on this…Tester are a must have!