we are live

So The Bothell Florist is up and live with a blog, now what in the world should I write about?!? 

Well to start let me introduce myself and the shop and our other shop...  My name is Laurel Stromme-Dede and I am the manager and lead designer for The Bothell Florist.  I have been in the floral industry since 2002 when I went to floral design school at the Floral Design Institute.  Prior to that I worked in the Fashion Design Industry for Shah Safari a local Seattle clothing design firm.  I have a degree in Fashion Design from The Art Institute of Seattle and I graduated from Inglemoor high school so I am actually originally from Bothell.  Well, we did live in Kenmore for the first 9 years of my life but then we moved a whole 2 1/2 miles up Simonds road to Bothell so needless to say I know my way around this area. 

As for the shop, The Bothell Florist is located at 10021 NE 183rd st in the heart of downtown Bothell.  Our location is in the old hardware store which you can still tell by the large metal shelves and huge space, but we are in the midst of a large remodeling project that will hopefully be completed by Spring of 2011.  Bothell Florist was purchased a little over a year ago and I took over last May when Bonnie the former manager retired.  When the shop was purchased the first thing the new owner did was introduce it to the 21st century by adding computers and a p.o.s. system what a change!  Now we can actually track sales and trends as well as have an accurate database of our loyal customers and their recipients so ordering is as easy as 123... 

Being that I am of the computer generation I have always been dismayed at the lack of technology most floral shops are still working with.  I was fortunate enough to spend my previous 4 years at Ballard Blossom, a northwest tradition and leader of the floral industry so I am bringing to Bothell Florist my design expertise as well as my knowledge of managing a very large flower shop and applying it to growing this small shop and bringing it into the next generation of style and service.  There are big things in store for this shop and for Bothell as a whole.  With all of the economic changes, development and growth Bothell is experiencing we are positioning our shop to grow and change with the area. 


Our sister store is Bellevue Crossroads Florist which the owner purchased in 2005 and in just a few short years has managed to completely turn around.  I am very lucky to be able to work closely with them and learn from them as they have an extensive background in European Design which in the floral world is a LOT different than how things are done here in the US. 

Between our two shops we have almost 5,000 sq ft of design space and unlimited potential.  Most people don't realize it but we have tons of items for rent for events and weddings and we are able to create anything from the most simple and elegant to the most elaborate events you can imagine. 

If you have never been to our shop or haven't been in a while please come by and say hello and see what we are up to.  This week I did a big project for the new Hilton Garden Inn in Bothell and provided them with arrangements for their Hotel Photo Shoot.   I can't wait to see the shots!!! 

As all of you know next week is Turkey Day so don't forget to order your table centerpiece or hostess gift.  We will have lots of extra arrangements made up and gorgeous fall flowers to add ambiance to any room.

Hope your week is fantastic and your Thanksgiving is filled with food, fun, family and friends...

Laurel