Disney has been an American icon since October 16, 1923 when it was founded by brothers Walt and Roy Disney. At 81 years old, that's still 19 years younger than Olympia-Hearns Flower Shop in Bronx, New York.
In 1906, four brothers who had immigrated to New York from Greece made their American dream come true when they opened the flower shop that is now run by Gregory Chugranis and his brother Nicholas Chugranis-the third generation to operate the store. Gregory and Nicholas are the sons of Louis Chugranis who took over the store in 1929 from his father Gregory Sr. "My brother and I have been in the flower shop almost since the day we were born. It got into our blood," says Gregory Chugranis, Jr.
Their long road of success hasn't been without its bumps. In fact, Chugranis says that one of the most difficult obstacles has been the fact that flowers have become available in many chain stores and grocery stores. He explains, "Today it seems like everyone is selling flowers...[they] have become a commodity, like a can of beans."
Surely there's something special about the Olympia-Hearns Flower Shop that has kept it in business for an entire century-and there is! The key, according to Chugranis, is service of the highest quality. "We treat our customers as our friends," he says, "I need the customers more than the customers need me, you have to always keep that in mind."
At such a ripe old age, their advice is certainly worth taking-even from the customer's point of view. When looking for a florist to do business with, look for one that, like Chugranis' shop, goes that extra mile to provide great service. If they care about you, they care about the quality of the flowers their selling. Watch for florists who are professionally affiliated with organizations like the Society of American Florists; such associations show they are committed to their work and the industry as a whole.
It seems that a great product that people love and a healthy dose of good service goes a long way in any business. If they're lucky and they follow the advice of the older Olympia-Hearns Flower Shop, Disney might just hit that century mark, too.
Copyright: Copyright © 2006-2008 Wesley Berry, AAF
About the Author:| Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers, a successful multi-million dollar floral business that was established in 1946. He is also the developer of Localnewsdelivery.com a website that delivers local news to over 40,000 communities across the country. Recently he also launched a website providing information about various places of worship throughout the United States. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at www.800wesleys.com.
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