Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Cook Florist, best known for its ability to make just the right floral bouquet for any occasion, is celebrating a milestone of its own this year, marking its 65th year in business making arrangements for others.
Opened for business on Oct. 1, 1943 by Sidney and Edna Cook, then operated by Donald and Margaret Duncan, the shop is now owned and operated by Karen Duncan, the Cooks’ granddaughter. A member of the Maine State Florist Association, Duncan has earned the Maine State Floral Association title of Maine Master Floral Designer.
“We’re in our third generation. My daughter works part-time with me now but I’m not sure whether there’ll be a fourth generation – the kids are still young and haven’t decided what they’ll be doing in life,” said Duncan.
The shop has operated at the same location for decades – 174 Main St. – making arrangements of all kinds for customers from Blaine to Ashland.
“We have a lot of loyal customers – in some cases, third- and fourth-generation customers. We get to know them and what they like. We try to remember their likes and dislikes – a color, type of flower,” she said.
Duncan said the shop’s success is largely due to the loyal customers who keep coming back for all their floral needs.
“From birth, to weddings and funerals, we get to know our regular customers really well,” said Duncan, noting that a happy customer is one that will come back.
And spreading happiness is a major element in the business’s success, helping to create just the right mood/atmosphere for any occasion.
Duncan said it’s a pleasure being a part of special events, but added that it can be a bit stressful at times.
“We’ve played a part in some (marriage) proposals, putting rings on roses. We’ve put necklaces wrapped around stems. But that’s when it can get stressful, trying to make sure everything is just right,” she said.
Delivery can prove to be a challenge sometimes, according to Duncan.
“If we try to make a delivery – especially in the winter – and no one is home, that can put a damper on the customer’s plans. So we encourage people to give delivery addresses where the person will be during business hours – be it home or at work. That way the recipient will get the delivery when intended,” said Duncan.
Over the years, Duncan said the business has changed with the times.
“Money trees used to be popular, but gift cards have taken their place. We still do a lot of weddings, prom corsages. Wrist corsages are popular for proms and for moms at weddings, but I find grandmothers still prefer a regular corsage for a wedding,” she said. “And we’re seeing a lot more men getting flowers now. We can do masculine themes – hunting, fishing, sport-type decors.”
Male or female, Cook Florist has gifts for all ages. In addition to bouquets, customers can select from a wide variety of balloons, stuffed animals, vases and more.
“Roses are a favorite – the number-one choice for Valentine’s Day. But for general purposes, most prefer mixed bouquets. We can do so much – be creative and design to the personality of the individual. Having a specific age helps determine the style of an arrangement,” said Duncan. “For a birth, it’s often a pink or blue theme. With teens we try to dress it up with lots of bling and funky wires … have lots of fun. For men, we go more mannish with the arrangement and container. The great thing about arrangements is we can.”
Even funeral arrangements have undergone a bit of a transformation over the years.
“We’ve had more requests for smaller arrangements that family members can take home. There was one instance where the lady had collected dolls and dolls were displayed,” said Duncan.
Unlike most businesses that rely heavily on Christmas sales to turn a profit, florists are busy throughout the year. Such is the case for Cook Florist.
“Valentine’s Day is our busiest time of the year. Unlike Christmas and other holidays where we get orders two or three weeks in advance and can deliver anytime around Christmas, for example, customers want Valentine’s orders to be delivered that day,” she said.
Top holidays for flower sales, according to Duncan, include: Valentine’s Day, the number-one day for her business; Easter; Secretary’s Day; Mother’s Day; Thanksgiving; and Christmas.
Duncan said on any given day she has one driver on duty. But when Valentine rolls around, that number jumps to six drivers and six vans, working 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to make sure deliveries get made in their wide coverage area.
“We have a pretty quick turnaround, from the time of order to delivery. During holiday time, we appreciate advance notice as much as possible. But normally if we get a call in the morning, we can deliver by the afternoon,” said Duncan.
Increased fuel costs have had a limited impact on Duncan’s business.
“We’ve had to adjust prices on occasion, much like other businesses have for their products, due to increased fuel costs. Our flowers originally come from California, South America, Holland – our greens from Florida. We get them from various suppliers. The wholesalers have been really good at keeping prices down – not increasing costs,” she said, adding she hadn’t noticed any major increase with her poinsettia shipment over the holidays.
Duncan said flower choices are like fashion – what’s hot one year may not be the next.
“Our distributors keep us informed on what’s popular elsewhere, but we’ve found Aroostook tends to be a year or two behind other places. Chocolate (color) was the rage a few years ago for a wedding color, but I didn’t see that here much until last year. Red is still a traditional favorite, but variety in color is growing in popularity. People – especially ladies – are more interested in colors and are more color conscious than in the past,” she said.
She noted fall weddings and the colors that go with them are becoming more popular.
“I see more fall colors in June and July weddings as well,” added Duncan.
And with the growing interest in color variations, Duncan has seen in increase in interest in garden arrangements and vases.
“Garden arrangements are popular for their longevity. The more people take care of flowers, the longer they last,” she said.
By taking three things into consideration, Duncan said people can extend the life of their display.
“Keep arrangements in a cool place, provide fresh water and, if possible, re-cut the stems at an angle,” she said. “How a consumer takes care of an arrangement really affects its longevity.”
Duncan, who started working at the shop in 1983 (this marks her 25th year in the business) said when she began, the major elements in displays at that time included poms, daisies, carnations, roses and gladiolas.
“Now one of the biggest things is Gerber daisies, in part because they come in so many colors. They’re the biggest thing right now. They’re not the easiest flower to work with and need lots of water, but they’re great for bouquets for people in their teens and 20s,” said Duncan
Arrangements begin around $25 and go up from there, based on what a customer wants. Duncan said the business fills an average of 25 orders a day.
“That’s around 150 orders a week. We average about 100 miles a day on our truck,” she said.
The business employs four full-time and three part-time employees.
Business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
In a day and age when turnover is common for businesses, Cook Florist has at least one staff member who’s devoted much of her life to creating breathtaking floral designs.
“I started working here in 1967,” said Pat Steeves, as she skillfully placed a blossom in a container of flowers destined for TAMC’s flower cooler.
Steeves said it was the pleasant atmosphere that has kept her at the job for so many years.
“I like the friendships I’ve made working here,” said Steeves.
When asked to estimate how many bouquets she’s created, Steeves paused to give it some thought, as Kit Kat, one of the shop cats, nuzzled a nearby basket of flowers.
“I’ve put together quite a few bouquets – too many to count,” said Steeves, modestly noting, “I even took an order from President Ford.”
“Pat helped raise me and is now helping raise my daughter – we’ve learned a lot from Pat,” said Duncan.
Duncan said working with flowers is enjoyable, especially when the people you work with are close, like family.
“This is just a great job to have. The flowers smell great. Everyone here is close – like family. And our customers are the best,” said Duncan, laughing as she added, “Working here is like arts and crafts for elders. It’s just a lot of fun.”
For more information or to place an order, contact 769-2731.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
KIT KAT is one of the part-time ‘sales associates’ at Cook Florist, welcoming customers and ‘helping’ with floral arrangements.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
PAT STEEVES puts the finishing touches on a bouquet destined for The Aroostook Medical Center. Since 1967, Steeves has worked at Cook Florist, skillfully creating arrangements for all occasions.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
SUKI, a 4-month-old Siamese mix, serves as part-time ‘sales associate,’ drawing customers’ attention to the variety of cuddly stuffed animals available at Cook Florist.
