Rebecca's fills Christmas demand
Flower shop kicks into high gear for holiday season
Walter Strong
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, December 10, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Santa Claus is not the only employer who works day and night alongside his team of employees in the lead-up to Christmas day.
Rebecca Birch and husband Richard Birch opened Rebecca's Flowers in Stanton Plaza in 2009 after operating their former Grower Direct location in Centre Square Mall for three years. - Daron Letts/NNSL photo |
"We will do all-nighters," said Rebecca Birch of Rebecca's Flowers in Stanton Plaza.
In the weeks before Christmas, the store will employ a dozen full-time workers and staff will work in shifts around the clock for days at a time, she added.
"We try to help people out whenever we can," she said.
The store recently brought in poinsettas grown in Blackfalds, Alta., and many are being shipped to the communities – not by reindeer-guided sleigh but by airplane.
The shop sends truckloads of flowers to the airport to fill orders throughout the territory every week, said Rebecca's husband and co-owner Richard Birch.
The store also provides flowers to about 50 weddings each year.
Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are the busy times, he said.
Just like Santa, who responds to all his letters personally, the Birchs provide individualized attention for each customer, said Richard.
Phone calls are not forwarded to an answering service during off-hours. Instead, they route to Richard's cellphone, providing customers with personalized service.
Everything has been coming up roses for the couple since opening the business at Stanton Plaza in 2009.
The couple first ran their former Grower Direct store in Centre Square Mall for three years. They consolidated the businesses in 2011.
"Things have been going really good," said Richard. "We didn't lose any business at all switching to one store."
In fact, business has increased, added Rebecca.
The 1,500-square foot location is filled with flowers, plants, European chocolates, gift items, books, DVDs and other products.
The nearby liquor store and Dominos Pizza franchise, as well as Walmart across the parking lot and Borden Drive, bring in lots of traffic, said Rebecca.
