FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — A new look, new merchandise, yet the same high quality of service is making a Fort Fairfield florist truly “one of a kind.”
Renovations at One of A Kind Flowers & Gifts, located at 250 Main St., are nearing completion, and customers are encouraged to stop in and see the exciting changes.
“We’ve painted and cleaned it from top to bottom. We’ve really given it a new look, and I’m pretty excited about it,” said owner Pat Canavan, who opened the business in July of 2009. “Before, things were pretty much off-white and looked pretty bland. Now we have beautiful vintage lace paint on the tops of the walls, a chocolate brown on the bottom, and a nice, cream-colored border, as well. It really looks nice, homey and comfortable.”
Other physical changes to the store include moving some of the display cases from one end to the other.
“I’m trying very hard to get everything done by Valentine’s Day because that is one of the major events for flower shops,” Canavan said. “The bulk of the painting is done, but we still need to buff the floors, get a few storage pieces in place and take care of a few minor details.”
Canavan said she’s using the occasion to bring in a couple of new product lines.
“I’ve brought in some new primitive items and I have more on the way. We’ve really expanded that line,” she said. “We also have antiques and other new stock and inventory. I’m going to be offering specialty wine and possibly wine tastings. I’ve applied for my license, so that’s in the works, as well. Future plans also include developing a web page for the business.”
In addition to fresh-cut flowers, One of A Kind also offers silk arrangements, houseplants, customized candy or balloon bouquets, and gourmet baskets.
“For Valentine’s Day this year we’re going to offer freshly-made designs,” said Canavan. “We’ll be selling roses by the half-dozen or dozen. We have a variety of colors, and we’re going to have some tie dye Cymbidium orchids, tulips, daisies and more.
“I’ve got three delivery drivers lined up,” she said. “We deliver to all surrounding areas, plus we’ll have extended business hours.”
Canavan said she’s lucky to have Alice Caron working with her in the flower shop.
“Alice worked in Presque Isle for years. She was one of the former owners of A&J Florist, plus she managed and was the lead designer at Blossom’s Florist, and has worked for Cook Florist,” she said. “She’s been working in the area for about 30 years, so she has a long history and a good customer base. She’s been with us for almost a year and she does excellent work.”
One of A Kind, which is the only florist in Fort Fairfield, also sells handmade soaps, repurposed items, greeting cards, giftware and more.
“We do special occasions like funerals and weddings,” said Canavan, “and we would be delighted to sit down with people and help them choose what they want. We also have books that people can go through to get some ideas.”
One of A Kind is open from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call 472-6076.
