“Flowers help mark life’s special moments with unforgettable memories”

It quickly outgrew the premises and Paula moved to another Penketh location before occupying a double unit on Maple Crescent.

Here, in our latest Business of the Week feature, Paula, who runs the florist business with daughter Morgan, tells us how flowers brought smiles to people’s faces during dark days in the Covid-19 pandemic and how they will always go the extra mile to fulfil people’s floral orders.

If you would like to appear in one of our business features, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

Molly Blooms The Florist is on Maple Crescent in Penketh

What’s your full name?

Paula Carroll and Morgan Carroll (mother and daughter)

What’s the name of the business?

Molly Blooms: The Florist

What’s the address?

89-91 Maple Crescent,

Penketh,

Warrington,

WA5 2LQ

Are you the owner/manager?

Owner

Paula will be running wreath making classes in the run up to Christmas

When did you open the business?

September 17, 2013

Has it always been in the same location?

No, we originally open on Honiton Way Square in Penketh in the shop which had been previously occupied by Bloomingdales Florist. In 2018, we decided to move to Maple Crescent in Penketh. We took a small single shop unit there but have since had the wonderful opportunity to double our retail space and move into a larger shop at the end of the row.

Are you local to the area?

Yes, I was born in Penketh and have lived here for most of my life. We live in Great Sankey.

Tell me a bit about your business What do you do?

We are a retail florist shop with a strong online presence. We provide flowers for all occasions and celebrations.

Paula and Morgan create bespoke bouquest and floral displays

What services do you provide?

We provide same-day flower deliveries to all areas of Penketh, Great Sankey, Widnes and St Helens. We provide bespoke wedding flowers and funeral flowers. We have house and garden plants and stock candles and soaps by Gabriella Oils, a wonderful local artisan producer. We also have helium balloons and cards for all occasions. Lastly, we have Scoops dog ice cream!

Why did you decide to open your own business?

I started my floristry journey later in life. I had a cancer scare in 2011 and the deaths of my parents fairly soon after their retirement convinced me that it was time to do something that I loved. I didn’t want to keep putting it off until the children were older. After studying floristry to advanced level at college for two years and completing 12 months of work experience with a florist in Culcheth, I felt ready to start my own business.

What’s your business background?

I don’t have a business background. I did a Woman into Business intensive training course and had 24 weeks of mentoring from the government-run Business Start-up programme back in 2013. They taught me all about HMRC, legal requirements, health and safety and the correct insurance and compliance needed to start and run a business properly.

Why this type of business?

Flowers are beautiful and life enhancing. They are a part of all our traditions and memories - births, marriages and deaths. We wanted to serve our local community and be part of it in a way that really matters to people.

The business occupies a double unit on Maple Crescent

Were you open before/during/after the Covid-19 pandemic?

We only closed for about five weeks at the start of the pandemic and felt really guilty about doing so as we know how much flowers mean people. After lockdown, supplies of flowers started to come back into the country and, of course, there was a huge demand. We worked throughout the pandemic providing flowers and delivering flowers to loved ones who could not be visited in person.

How did this affect your business?

People were extremely grateful we could offer this service. We experienced a great outpouring of thanks and many wonderful reviews. It was a very hard time keeping up with the demand and I worked long hours alone and I had to make all the deliveries myself as we felt we could not put any of our staff or drivers at risk.

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field?

We are just very good at what we do! We have wonderful wholesalers who deliver flowers fresh from Holland several times a week. We have a website which makes ordering online easy for people and, in most cases, we offer same day delivery.

What sets your business apart from your competitors?

The quality and freshness of our products sets us apart from other florists. We work with different suppliers to provide simply the best in floral produce from around the world. We are constantly adapting to new trends and challenges.

Why do loyal customers return to your business?

Loyal customers return because we can provide a personalised service, offering great customer service and same day delivery. It is never too late to place an order and we will go above and beyond to provide exactly what is requested.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?

Over the next few months, we will be hosting Christmas wreath making workshops and other flower related classes. I’m looking into becoming a training provider to nurture the next generation of budding florists. We will be gearing up and planning for the upcoming celebrations such as Christmas, Valentine’s and Mother’s Day – yes, planning for these events starts months in advance. Times are difficult for all small businesses in the current financial climate but we are looking forward to seeing what the future holds and we’re so grateful to all of our customers, past and present.