Florists bloom, bring beauty to Hillsdale

Home City News Florists bloom, bring beauty to Hillsdale
Florists bloom, bring beauty to Hillsdale

A bright yellow bike stands outside of the shop on Broad Street, matching the sunflowers filling the big window. Jane Stewart, the owner of Smith’s Flowers, greets each customer that walks into her little flower shop as if they were lifelong friends.

“Hello, sweetie,” she says. Or, “Here are your flowers, honey.”

Smith’s Flowers and The Blossom Shop on North Howell Street are the two florists in Hillsdale that have served both the college and the community’s needs for decades. Both businesses seek to provide services for the students and want to see them in town.

“We want to include you guys down here in the town, too,” head designer at Smith’s Flowers, Maranda Barkey, said.

The Blossom Shop began over 100 years ago in a Hillsdale garage. Current owner Kathy Newell said the original business offered flowers and homemade candy. Now the shop has moved to a high-ceilinged building and is filled with silk flowers, seasonal decorations, and cases of fresh blooms.

Newell said she jumped into the floral business without knowing what it was about. She immediately began going through florist schooling and took classes on subjects like how to prepare flowers, floral styling, and how to make flowers last longer. These classes are offered in different cities in the area and through the Michigan Floral Association.

The Blossom Shop specializes in silk flower designs and decorating. Employees will even go to a home and decorate with the customer’s own decorations, or those purchased from the shop. This service is especially popular around Christmas.

“It’s fun to go to someone’s house and decorate it,” Newell said. “And when they say, ‘How did you do that with my stuff?’”

Despite some hard economic times, Newell said the business is doing well and has not had to downsize.

Smith’s Flowers has also seen many changes in the Hillsdale economy, yet it has thrived since its beginnings in 1984. While Smith’s gets many wedding orders and has a strong local customer base, Barkey said funerals are the main source of the company’s income.

Both florists educate themselves on the yearly trends in floral arrangements and wedding bouquets.

“I love to do modern styles,” Newell said. “But in Hillsdale you really have to be careful.”

Newell and Barkey said it is hard to bring new styles such as orchids and feathers into Hillsdale.

“Our town is not caught up with the trends of today,” Barkey said. “But we have the college girls that we love. They are more open to the trendy, high-style ideas.”

Barkey said some students were recently in the shop buying potted flowers for their dorm rooms. Smith’s Flowers specializes in succulents, cactus-like plants that need little water and care.

Both shops hope to see more students coming through their doors.

The Hillsdale Business Association along with The Blossom Shop and Smith’s Flowers will be hosting events in town this fall. Smith’s will be hosting “Awesome Autumn” and The Blossom Shop will be in charge of the annual Christmas Scavenger Hunt.

“We are all about helping you, and you help us,” Barkey said.