Pumpkins are the key to higher Thanksgiving sales at a British Columbia shop, where flower-filled squash attract customers looking for centerpieces and hostess gifts.
In British Columbia, Christa Dannhauser has found a way get her customers excited about Thanksgiving floral designs: pumpkins — and a dose of whimsy.
For the past several years Dannhauser, of Flowers Beautiful, has sold 75 to 100 fresh pumpkin arrangements for the holiday, celebrated in Canada this year on Oct. 10. The average price point for an 8- to 10-inch centerpiece is $35.
“The next most popular size would be the small pumpkins, which we sell for between $20 and $30; people tend to buy these as gifts,” she said. “Then we also make big and beautiful pumpkin arrangements which range between $65 and $100. We sell around 10 of these and usually on order only.”
This year Dannhauser experimented with baby pams (4 to 5 pound pumpkins with smooth skin) for smaller arrangements.
“They seem to last longer than the regular old orange pumpkin,” said Dannhauser. She also recommends lining the hollowed pumpkin with cello paper. “We try to keep whimsical since you are, after all, designing in a pumpkin.”
A final tip for happy customers? Explain the unique qualities and care requirements of a pumpkin design.
“We educate our customers and remind them that it is a fresh pumpkin, so it usually only lasts a few days, but they can transfer their arrangements to another container once the pumpkin goes soft,” said Dannhauser, who uses social media to plug the designs. “We also advise them to place the arrangement on a plate or tray to avoid damage to any surface.”
