I have learned to avoid many necessities, I have learned to avoid places where money instantly jumps out of my wallet. One place I can't ignore and avoid. The Flower shop!
If I meet a flower shop on my way, I can't avoid it, even if they sometimes have outrageously expensive prices. There are such florists where I have to fight with myself not to pay the price but it helps that most of the time I can't even afford the price or there is no money in my wallet or on my card...
This is a good start, I hope, for a post in #MarketFriday, the community, and a challenge hosted by Denise, @dswigle.
Winter and Christmas shopping month has begun. People, at least those that I can observe, start running blindly after shopping... for gifts, for ingredients for the kitchen, for clothes, and more. It's all very tiresome. I don't want to write about it anymore. I'll tell you about a flower shop, my favorite flower shop, where I make a visit, buy a small or big plant and enjoy the view...
Flowershop Tria's
I've been going to this flower shop for many years and only now when I researched for this post, did I learn the history of this place. Also on this occasion, I subscribed to the online shop and I will be able to order the flowers using the internet... but I don't think I'll do that because I don't want to kill the pleasure of visiting their flower shops and see the flowers in reality and not in photos or video! Here I tell you their story, the story of those who founded these flower shops...
Tria's Florist Family was born more than 19 years ago as a simple idea of two people who love beauty. Many may not believe it, but it all started with a few pots on a balcony somewhere in Bucharest. In the beginning, it was harder. We started with a little kiosk somewhere in a Bucharest market.
Little by little this little green corner grew, and from a few passers-by who glanced at the few pots of plants in the shop, day by day other lovers of beauty appeared, other people who saw in a flower something necessary to live.
And so another shop appeared, and another one, until all of Bucharest slowly found out about Tria's.
Today we boast a strong network of 15 own stores and a strong network of Tria's dealers nationwide and our own greenhouse.
Thus, you can find Tria's florists everywhere in Bucharest and you can order online from anywhere in Romania.
Reading the above I understand why these florists are housed in small spaces in various houses that are close to where people walk. The proximity to people, and the flowers stored directly in the street, are very good marketing. A good retailer has to get the customer to come into the shop in the first place! Tria's have found an even better solution, they have made it so that potential customers walk through the flower shelves. It's impossible not to be attracted by the beauty and variety of the flowers on display.
I am a "victim" (customer) who can testify to that!
Of the fifteen flower shops, I know of only about four and the one I like best is next to Circus Park. As it is already a habit for me to come once a month to walk and photograph in this park, I inevitably visit the flower shop. The visit starts with viewing and photographing the flowers on the street in front of the shop. In all the photos below you can see the park in the background...
While photographing these flowers something special happens to me every time. Every time a young lady comes to me, every time another, invites me to photograph inside.
Why do I say something special is happening?
Because in most places I am looked at with suspicion and unfriendliness when I want to photograph. In shops, in markets, and at shows, I immediately understand that I am not welcome to photograph. Here I am invited to photograph everywhere!
With this attitude they have won me forever, I'm theirs!
We've also got a buyer. The offer of flowers is vast, the prices are relatively low, you can't leave here without buying something...
The space is small. To receive and sort the goods they use a small yard. I understand they bring flowers from Holland twice a week. I've been there (in the small yard, not Holland), talked about flowers, asked for advice, photographed...
They showed me some flowers and arrangements that were not yet for sale. Some hydrangeas of a strange color that I had never seen before.
I was quickly finished inside with the photography. Before leaving I walked by the flowers outside again. So many flowers that I don't know what to show and what not. Just a few more, because #alwaysaflower.
I took a lot of photos, I put here maybe too many but I couldn't help myself, I didn't know how to choose. Flower shops are my favorite shops!
