Mum’s Flowers in Whitefish, Montana is hosting a party for gal pals to get them in the shop to see new products and realize the business’s fun side.
Why pigeonhole Valentine’s Day as a celebration of romantic love? Mum’s Flowers is encouraging residents of Whitefish, Montana to observe the holiday by showing a little affection for their female friends.
On Saturday, February 11, the shop will host its inaugural Galentine’s Day party for female friends to hang out. Guests can indulge in sweet treats and cocktails, while shopping, building flower crowns and capturing the fun in a photo booth. “I think once the girls have had a couple of cocktails, they will pull out their cameras and post to social media,” said owner Cara Lard, adding that flower crowns always end up on Instagram. After the party, Mum’s Flowers will use the backdrop from the photo booth as a window display.
Lard said the idea grew out of the camaraderie she shares with her colleagues. “We’re all young women who’ve become close friends,” she said. “We like hosting parties at our homes where we get to dress up, put up fun decorations, and try new recipes. So we thought, why not throw something similar at the shop and open it up to clients?”
The holiday’s timing this year also seemed opportune for launching a new idea, she added. “We’re able to host a party on Saturday and still have several days to prep for Valentine’s Day.”
Galentine’s Day, which is a free event and runs for three hours, coincides with parties at a neighboring boutique and a distillery. The three businesses will post flyers about the others’ functions with the intention of piggybacking off each other to draw a bigger crowd. Lard will provide her fellow business owners flower crowns to wear, as a subtle advertisement of her shop.
Mum’s Flowers is also reaching out to a local baker. “She’s new in town and will hopefully provide sweets in exchange for publicity,” Lard said. The partnership would help trim costs, which she estimates will run between $400 and $500, in addition to overtime pay for employees.
Lard considers the party an investment in the brand’s reputation as a community player. “It should give us good press and help us engage with customers,” she said. Additionally, it will expose customers to non-floral gifts, such as champagne-flavored gummy bears, bath bombs and dainty, diamond-encrusted stud earrings. “We’re always adding new merchandise, so it’s good to get people in the door to see what we offer.”
The ultimate goal, though, is to have people “think of our shop as a fun place to spend their time and to remember us when they need a gift for a friend or are planning their wedding,” she said.
