> GIVE GIFTWARE A GO


range of gift items, including gourmet snacks and sparkling fruit juice, paper goods, candles, toiletries, hostess gifts, home décor, children’s gifts and jewelry — wares that account for 21% to 30% of total revenue. Most non-floral items fall between $15 and $60, though offerings range from $10 bath bombs or fudge to a Hillberg & Berk crystal cuff bracelet priced just under $600. Janssen is disciplined with her mer-


chandising and inventory strategy. The shop works within set purchasing budgets for each season, based on prior per- formance and projections, which helps ensure there’s little leftover product when


displays turn over. Any remaining items are typically minimal; some, like faux stems, are reworked into the next season, while the rest is placed into storage.


Community Partner When Carrie Moore, AAF, PFCI, SDCF, purchased Jenny’s Floral in 2022, she fielded a steady question from custom- ers: Why not change the name? For a time, she held off. But the idea lingered, alongside another longtime ambition. A self-described reader, Moore had always dreamed of opening a bookstore. When the opportunity arose to move into a larger space in Custer, South Dakota, she


Smart Moves in Giftware: Build community into your business • Add complementary products that reflect your interests and your market • Fill gaps in your local community (e.g., bookstore, classes, events) • Host regular programming (book clubs, workshops, themed events) • Use cross-merchandising to encourage add-on purchases


saw a chance to combine both ideas — an approach encouraged by her former boss, Jenny Behlings, AAF, AIFD, PFCI. In April 2024, she reopened the business with a new identity that blends flowers and books under one roof. The concept behind Petals and Pages


fills a gap in the community. Custer, a town of about 2,000 residents in the Black Hills, hadn’t had a bookstore for roughly a decade. Moore leaned into that void, building her inventory largely through donations, supplemented with thrifted finds and a curated selection of new titles from local authors and regional publishers. The approach keeps costs manageable while reinforcing her goal of serving the community rather than competing with larger retailers. That community focus is paying off


in unexpected ways. The shop’s location — next to a gas station — has introduced a steady stream of new customers. “Women will come in and shop while their husbands fill up the car,” she says. “There was also a lot of rain last summer


BOOKS AND BLOOMS At Petals and Pages in Custer, South Dakota, Carrie Moore, AAF, PFCI, SDCF, blends books, blooms and thoughtfully selected gifts — like cozy coff ee mugs and reading accessories — to create a space that feels as inviting as it is shoppable.


28 FLORAL MANAGEMENT | May/June 2026 | WWW.SAFNOW.ORG


PHOTOS BY JASON FERGUSON, SOUTHERN HILLS PUBLISHING


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