Caption

Caption of Photo: Lynn Martin Freeman (left) is joined by Head designer, Susan Weatheral

Neighbourhood Business Profile

Martin’s Flowers

By Jennifer Weatherhead

Flowers can be for any occasion, big or small, happy or sad, or as a “just because.” Maybe that's why one particular flower shop in our community has been around for 110 years -- because flowers will never go out of style and there's always a reason to give them.

Martin's Flowers in the Junction has been family-owned and -operated since 1898; and if that's not a feat in and of itself, it has also been running out of the same location since opening. It's not just a rarity in the world of small business, it’s simply unheard of with most businesses. And the Martin family member behind its success today is Lynn Freeman, great granddaughter of the flower shop's founder, Alfred Martin. What started out as a purchase by Alfred for the value of the property turned into generations of florists after he built a greenhouse and started growing bedding plants. "I love the atmosphere of the Junction," explains Lynn when asked what keeps the business in the area. "The character of the homes and the people, it's just a real community, a neighborhood." Lynn took over from her father, Bill Martin, after growing up in the business and sampling other careers. “There’s no business like the flower business,” she smiles.

Lynn is clearly proud of the heritage that comes with the business. On the walls are photos of the past family members who ran the store before her, simply to show the customers a little bit of the history that comes with their fresh bouquet of roses, tulips, lilies, and a huge assortment of other fresh cut flowers.

But, despite the history, there are some obvious changes. Lynn takes orders over the phone and through the internet. "Eighty-five per cent of our orders are done over the phone or by internet now," explains Lynn. "We can e-mail when it's been delivered and keep customers’ information on file, so they can just call in and we can remind them what they sent last time, or what they said on the card." Her customers are frequently repeats and many have been coming to the flower shop for generations. "A lot of people say, 'Oh, you did my wedding flowers 50 years ago,' or their mother or grandmother used to order flowers from here," says Lynn.

Even though there may not be as much face-to-face customer interaction as there used to be, don't think that Martin's Flowers skimps on the customer service. "There's a good level of trust when people call in," says Lynn. "We help them choose the right flowers for the right occasion or special day." Plus, customers take notice of the care that goes into each and every order. Head designer Susan Weatheral keeps on top of all the latest trends and leads the trained staff to make sure each order -- whether it be for a wedding, Valentine's Day (for which they do 250 deliveries in one day), a funeral, a “thank you,” or a “just because” -- is perfect. It's the time and the care that goes into each order that will make your experience with Martin's Flowers extra special.

"You live, breathe, drink and eat this kind of business," explains Lynn. “Each day is interesting, and the product we work with is so beautiful.” The family business is in the works to keep the history going. Lynn's son plans to take over the shop for the next generation whenever she decides to step down. Since Lynn has had four grandchildren arrive in the last three years, she is looking forward to spending lots of time with them, teaching them to stop and smell the roses!

Located at 3107 Dundas St. W, 416 766-6121, www.MartinFlowers.com

SNAP Bloor West