A bouquet of flowers is a simple enough gift to give on Mother's Day, but you'd be surprised by all the work that goes into it making it so easy. For florists, this is one of the busiest seasons of the year, and by many accounts, the most stressful. Still, with Americans set to spend an average of $162.94 for the holiday and two-thirds planning to buy flowers, according to the National Retail Federation, they'll gladly endure the frustration.
When I began to research this story, I put in calls to several retailers in New York City's famed flower district, which dates back to the 19th century. Using old newspaper clips as a guide, I dialed one number after another only to receive a busy signal, or worse, a dated recording saying "this line is no longer in service." Only one shop on my list remained open: Superior Florists, near West 28th Street.
"This is probably the oldest flower shop in the city," says co-owner Steven Rosenberg, a brusque older man whose grandfather founded Superior Florists in 1930. He lamented how the business has changed. "Anybody with a computer can say they're a florist," he says. "If somebody pays $100 for something, by the time it gets down to us, we get something like $40. People are getting ripped off like crazy."
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Inc.com
