Business blooms for Porirua florist
A Porirua business owner is urging others to follow her lead and get behind the councils attempts to revitalise the city centre.
Tracey King owns Black Rose Florist and has recently shifted her business to Hartham Pl, a move she says is already paying off.
‘‘It’s already picked up in the city centre and the council are being really proactive in filling the empty shops and organising events.
‘‘We as business owners should support them. If we want it to get better, then business owners need to get behind the council and take the risk.’’
King moved her business from the Harbourside Complex on Parumoana St which, initially worried her clients.
‘‘People are sick of seeing local businesses close and when they saw us moving they were panicking so it was nice to be able to tell them we were only shifting.
‘‘We’re hoping other people will join us, council have really backed us - they want to see this area get better and stronger.’’
Black Rose Florist started 18 years ago and spent 12 years trading in the North City Mall before moving to the Parumoana St location six years ago.
King managed the shop and bought it from her mother as a ‘family friendly’ business for her four children.
‘‘I was raised in the back of the shop, we had a cot and when my son was born he came to work at a week old and would sleep there as well.
‘‘It makes me more compassionate for my staff when they have sick kids, it means they can bring them to work.’’
She employed two full time staff and said it was the service you got from a florist that made customers return.
‘‘Anyone can sell flowers, but we’re so customer orientated and we really get to know our customers and become friends.
‘‘You’re there for all the big occasions and important parts of their lives - you do weddings, then they come back for anniversaries and then for babies, you get to see all the milestones.’’
King believed the act of giving flowers would always stand the test of time.
‘‘It’s the smell and the colour, like perfume or a painting, that make you feel something. It’s like sending thoughts to people, the flowers are the vessel for a message.