Strack & Van Til offers everything from trees to formal floral arrangements.
Strack & Van Til can put together any floral arrangement.
Seasonal plants such as Christmas cactus also are available at Strack & Van Til.
A sleigh arrangement is just one of the options from the Floral Department at Strack & Van Til.
Owner Raymond Brickner says metallics and burgundies are popular at The Flower Cart Chesterton.
Strack & Van Til offers wreaths and greenery.
Select Strack & Van Til stores sell trees.
By gosh, by golly, it’s time for mistletoe and holly!
Or maybe just holly, according to Jen Knoche, floral director for Strack & Van Til.
“Mistletoe is not really popular anymore,” Knoche said. “Other traditional items are more popular, such as poinsettias, Christmas trees and wreaths, evergreen bunches and holly bouquets.”
Strack & Van Til offers custom orders for these, candle centerpieces in Christmas colors and other decor options with fresh flowers.
“We use lots of evergreens, Fraser fir — all the Christmas green you see on wreaths and trees,” Knoche said. “Also hydrangeas, roses, lilies, all in red, green and white with some metallic accents like silver and gold.”
New this year to certain Strack & Van Til locations are seasonal grave blankets. “At the end of November, our designers will start training to put these together,” Knoche said. “They will be available to order from select locations, but we request at least a 48-hour notice since they are so large.”
In addition to custom and grab and go arrangements, Strack & Van Til will offer in-store Fannie Mae candies on a buy-one-get-one-free special for the holiday season.
“This is our No. 1 season for Fannie Mae, for gift giving and it’s great if you’re having a party. We have Christmas wrapped items available,” Knoche said.
Other popular items for gift-giving include plush items for stocking stuffers and Christmas-themed candy bouquets.
“Balloons are a great item that’s really picked up momentum, they’re really taking off because of this whole pandemic,” Knoche said. “We have holiday balloons for the Christmas season.”
Though holiday gatherings may be limited by COVID-19, Knoche still expects a busy season for holiday arrangements and gifts.
“Just like at the beginning of the pandemic, at Mother’s Day, sales still took off. People are in the gift giving mood. People still want to at least do gift giving if they can’t get together,” she said.
Raymond Brickner, owner and general manager of The Flower Cart Chesterton, sees traditional arrangements very much in demand this year.
“It seems like when things are unsettled people look for things that bring them comfort and traditions,” Brickner said. “So this year we will be playing up traditional Christmas looks and a lot of natural looks.”
Besides red and green, Brickner recommends burgundies and metallics or an organic look.
“Right now the shop is displayed with a number of different looks and themes that people can use to decorate their houses with. One ls a lot of the burgundies, coppers and metal colors mixed with a shimmered fruit look,” Brickner said.
Organic-look arrangements include nontraditional greenery such as eucalyptus or leucadendron that's a good fit for the holidays, according to Brickner.
There’s no need to wait to order your holiday arrangements, Brickner said. In addition to silk or faux-floral arrangements which are available now, certain evergreens can be long-lasting.
“Toward the beginning of December, we do assorted evergreen arrangements that can last the whole season long,” he said. “It’s more the unique pines and pine cones, berries and accents like that. Keep it watered and it will go through the season.”
Despite some pandemic changes, the flower business is going strong, Brickner says.
“We were shut down for a number of months for walk-in business, so that’s impacted the giftware sales in-person, but we’ve seen an increase in the floral designs that we deliver,” he said. “People can’t go see their loved ones or not wanting to expose people who are at risk; flowers are a great way to show others they are thinking of them.
“It’s taken the place of being there in person or taking them out to dinner.”
The Flower Cart Chesterton designers and staff are ready to accommodate customers’ needs, even for last-minute arrangements, Brickner says.
“The more time we have the better, but we’re used to being a very last-minute business,” he said. “We can help people the same day and still get it designed and delivered or ready for pickup. We also have a number of designs ready to go in our cooler. But a week’s lead time is best if they need special flowers.”
Due to COVID-19, The Flower Cart Chesterton has canceled its annual open house, but the shop will be offering various specials throughout the season.
“We usually have our traditional Christmas open house, that will usually bring about 1,000 people in a weekend,” Brickner said. “This year, we will have our Christmas rooms open for people to come and see but we’re not encouraging everyone to come at one time.
“We will be doing weekly specials that will be changing,” he said. “We’ll be putting that on Facebook.”
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December 07, 2020 at 04:08AM
https://www.nwitimes.com/niche/traditional-or-trendy-fresh-flowers-make-the-festivities-sing/article_99b1f837-fbaa-5c32-b42e-44d347863d06.html
Traditional or trendy, fresh flowers make the festivities sing - nwitimes.com
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