BlogTO featured Martin's Flowers in an article on February 7, 2010. We were also rated in their listing of the Best Florists in Toronto.
Flower Shop Still Here A Blooming Century Later! - An Article by Vanessa Lu of the Toronto Star, May 4, 2009
As the Junction celebrated the 100th anniversary of its amalgamation with the City of Toronto, The Star visited the neighbourhood and wrote about two of the oldest businesses in the area.
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Real Florists' Specials - Florists' Review article in the July, 2009 issue.
The leading magazine for florists in Canada and the US has again featured Martin's, the Flower People. In an article on real florists' Christmas arrangements, three of the twelve shown were created by the design team at Martin's. The arrangements were from Martin's Christmas 2008 lineup: Amber Glow, Cedar Green 1 and Cedar Green 2. The photos are used to inspire other florists to create unique and beautiful designs for their local market. Martin's is thrilled to be seen as national leaders in style and design.
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Quoted from Canadian Florist Magazine, April 2009
In Toronto, the country’s largest city is a surprisingly green place to do business. “The city brought out Green Bin Program for commercial users in 2002,” explains Lynn Martin Freeman of Martin’s, The Flower People, in Toronto. The green bins are used to discard organic materials and help divert these materials – for free – from landfills. Each bin holds 35 gallons. We had to purchase the bins for $63.25 each, but then pickup twice a week is free. We also have the Blue Box program,” says Freeman.
Toronto also boasts another colour in its environmentally friendly rainbow: the Yellow Bag Program. This initiative also began in 2002 as a way of making commercial businesses financially accountable for the waste they create and to encourage businesses to cut down on trash. “The Yellow Bag Program was introduced at the same time as the Green Bins. We have to pay $3.10 per bag, so we’re careful about what goes in it! By the time we have separated out paper, Blue Box items, cardboard and organics, it’s mostly cellophane and plastic wrap in the yellow bag.”
So does all this reasonably priced support from the city actually help Freeman reduce and recycle? “We find that the green product backs up a little at busy times, especially at Christmas, because we can only use the four bins that we own. But we are quite pleased with the program. Before the Green Bin, we set four to six green bags out twice a week for the landfill. Now sometimes we only have one yellow bag. That feels better!”
It helps that most of Freeman’s clients care about the environment. “Many of our local customers would be horrified to take something home in a plastic bag – they are very environmentally aware. Some will just take the flowers tied together with a ribbon.”
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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 neighbourhood." 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
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Toronto Florist Featured in National Magazine
Toronto ON - July 18, 2007
Martin’s the Flower People were recognized in the latest issue of Florists’ Review. One of their designs for Christmas 2006 was featured in the July Christmas edition.
The arrangement, named “Chocolate,” was part of the “Flavours of the Holidays” line last year. The shop sold almost 200 of these arrangements, which featured a unique and modern colour palette of chocolate brown with turquoise accents and rich, deep red roses. Other flavours in the lineup were: Cinnamon, Apple Cranberry, Vanilla and Cherry. Each flavour had one or two floral arrangements designed for the holiday season.
Florists’ Review is the premier trade magazine for floral retailers, wholesalers and importers. Many florists across Canada and the US will be following the trends displayed in its pages as they plan for Christmas 2007.
Owner Lynn Martin Freeman is the fourth generation of Martins to own the shop, located at 3107 Dundas St. W. in the Junction. “I am thrilled that our work has been recognized by such a leader in the industry,” she says. “Our design team is very talented, and it’s great to have others acknowledge that.”
