Changing our floral habits

Szczecinbizbnes.pl: Your place located at Jagiellońska street is both a flower shop and a café – such a mixture is new in our environment. Where did the idea come from?

Agnieszka Jaworska: - I strongly believe that catering and florist services complement each other beautifully. The functional structure of Tiffany Flowers and Cafe ideally reflects this complementary character. In order to enter the café area one has to walk across the flower shop, but the two spheres do not interfere - just the opposite – flowers enhance the décor, they create the unique atmosphere of the place. For me, a coffee or a meal with a friend is more about getting together than drinking or eating, and flowers are associated with pleasure, things that can naturally accompany such meetings. Obviously, there are some other inspirations behind the idea owed to both the West and the Far East.

What kind of inspirations?

I lived in Hong-Kong for over a year. Many unique, atmospheric places can be found there - they can activate your imagination and provide creative inspiration for ventures of this kind.

How much did it cost to open your business in Szczecin and when do you think you can get a return on the investment?

One needs to keep in mind that I am now in the process of brand creating. Hence, apart from the premises, the décor, etc. my costs also include all the things that go with the brand, whatever makes it recognisable. The first stage of brand creating, namely opening Tiffany Flowers and Cafe in Szczecin, has cost one million zlotys. I am confident that the investment will pay for itself very soon. It is a high-margin business.

Your flower shop & café has been operating for over a month. Does it attract many customers?

I can say that things are going smoothly for now, even though each section of our establishment abides by its own rules. Ultimately, I would like the proportions to even out, but I realise that it takes time. The café has caught on right away, but the idea of the flower shop is still seeking acceptance – the process is ongoing. This is so because changing your café-related habits is far easier than changing your florist ones - the risk of trying out a new place is greater in the latter case. Flowers are still perceived as luxury goods – for that reason customers tend to visit well-tried florists, they are afraid of changes.

What is the difference between Tiffany Flowers and traditional flower shops?

The truth is that only now the florist business in Poland begins to be taken seriously. Until now flower shops were often run by persons without any professional training. Florist techniques are continually evolving, trends come and go, new ideas and solutions that we must learn about are introduced. What we encounter in Polish flower shops does not necessarily reflect those tendencies. Tiffany Flowers offer customers something completely new. It starts with the very arrangement of the interior – the majority of flower shops in Poland are rather small and cramped. I believe that flowers need space. The florist part in which flowers are sold is separated from the technical space in which flowers are arranged into bouquets. Every day we offer our customers at least twenty ready-made compositions. Hence, customers know right away not only what the bouquet will look like but also how much it will cost. If the customer comes up with their own idea, they may have a look at the flowers we have in the glass-walled cold store. This is something completely new. Apart from the everyday florist services, we also provide comprehensive flower arrangements for various events. As opposed to small flower shops that usually do not have sufficient staff, we are able to send a number of employees to decorate the church or the wedding reception room and, at the same time, we can also prepare the bridal bouquet – thanks to this all flower arrangements are fresh and thriving and they are ready on time.

How many employees do you have?

At present there are twenty employees, but one needs to keep in mind that this number includes both the florists and the catering staff. The place is open seven days a week, from 9:00 till 11:00 p.m. I personally supervise all the strategic actions. The flower shop and the café have their separate managers who specialise in their fields. The majority of my employees gained their professional experience abroad, often in very renowned places – my cook for instance, used to work at the restaurant of Mandarin Oriental hotel in London. This really confirms our high standards.

Do the Szczecin-based companies use florist services?

As far as orders from corporations are concerned, we are usually asked to prepare bouquets to be placed in president’s offices, more seldom flower adornments for reception desks.  But the trends are changing at the national level - in Warsaw, office receptions or  office building halls are often adorned with fresh flowers. Nonetheless, business in Szczecin is not that brisk and companies tend to be economical – they sometimes prefer to buy potted plants that last a bit longer. Bouquets are ordered only for special occasions.

How about your café? In what way is it different from others?

Our café is a combination of a coffeehouse where you can buy takeaway coffee in an elegant mug, a traditional café with waiter service and a restaurant. The menu is divided according to times of the day: it includes breakfast, lunch at a special price of PLN 35 for a three-course meal and the regular menu. The regular menu is not very extensive, because I have decided to focus on the quality. Our specialties are: Argentinian beef steak served on a limewood board and barramundi cod. During weekends we offer fresh seafood: spaghetti alle vongole and mussels in wine. We already have patrons who visit us specifically to order these meals.

Is the place located in Szczecin a beginning of a more wide-ranging business venture?

I was born in Szczecin and I believe in this city. Besides, I found here a very convenient location, at Jagiellońska street, right next to Deptak Bogusława. In truth, the first flower shop and café was to be opened in Poznań, but we were forced to put off the opening because of a change of location. The next establishment will be located in Warsaw. I would also like to set up Tiffany Flowers and Cafe in Katowice as well as in Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot.

Interviewed by Paulina Łątka